On November 17, the GSF Foundation launched the inaugural Feeding Hunger: A “No Lunch” Lunch event in Garner, North Carolina. With the support of GSF associates and the local community, the event raised more than $61,000 for area organizations. Beneficiaries of the funds raised include the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, who for every dollar donated can provide the equivalent of five meals to families in need, and Community of Hope.
The fundraiser was a one-hour soup kitchen-style lunch, where attendees learned firsthand what it’s like to receive a meal at a soup kitchen. Attendees received a bowl of soup and a piece of bread, while learning more about the issue and opportunities for combatting childhood hunger in their local community.
One in five children in the United States is hungry, and North Carolina is one of 14 states that demonstrated significantly higher household food insecurity rates than the national average of 14.3 percent. In Wake County, North Carolina, 35 percent of children under 18 are hungry.
“I am so thankful to our local GSF Garner Committee and the Wake County and Johnston County communities for coming together and donating their time and treasure to this cause for childhood hunger,” said Anna Lisa Lukes, Executive Director of the GSF Foundation.
Supporters of the Feeding Hunger: A “No Lunch” Lunch event included: Golden State Foods; McDonald’s Owner Operators of Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville; Mark and Ginny Wetterau; Raymond Carolina Handling; Temperature Control Solutions (TCS); Penske; Jim Brooks, Director WMS Transformation, GSF; Clean Wash Systems Inc.; Coastal Fleet Services; Butterball; McCain Foods; Mansfield; Angus Barn; Panera Bread; CRTS and McKeeman Communications. For every $1 donated the FBCENC can provide 5 meals to hungry children and families, and therefore will be able to provide 100,000 meals with the money earned through this event. Community of Hope will be able to provide 85 families who are food insecure and attend a Garner elementary school nutrition assistance twice a month to help relieve the financial stress of providing food for their families and will also provide food for families whose children are home during the summer months when free school meals are not available.
The GSF Foundation’s goal is for 20 GSF centers to host a “No Lunch” Lunch event by the year 2020. QCD Charlotte has already stepped up and will be hosting their own “No Lunch” Lunch event next year, and just recently donated $5,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this fundraiser a success. It’s because of your support that the GSF Foundation will be able to make a significant impact on the number of hungry children in Wake County this holiday season, and beyond.
To see pictures of the event, click here.