Hundreds of volunteers help Amen to Action pack 100,000 meals for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
CRANBERRY TWP — Even after the Thanksgiving holiday, fighting food insecurity is an ongoing mission that sits at the top of the priority list for many local nonprofits like the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation.
The organization gathered hundreds of volunteers at North Catholic High School on Friday, Nov. 29, to pack 100,000 meals for those less fortunate across the Greater Pittsburgh region for its final Amen to Action event of the season.
“The fact that we come from a day of plenty and recognize that what we received (on Thanksgiving) has to give us the energy to do for others, I think, is a very special endeavor,” said Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik, who cofounded Amen to Action.
“We really have to be not only compassionate, but, I think, empathetic to the people who have food insecurity and to know that what we’re doing today is going to really help them not only receive some sustenance, but also know that many people cared about them.”
After being established in 2017, Amen to Action has annually supplied more than 1 million meals to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
This year, Amen to Action easily surpassed that number by hosting 12 food-packing events at local Christian organizations throughout November.
“The energy and excitement about doing it continues to grow every year,” said Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation President Lee Kricher. “This year we actually had 12 sites, whereas last year we only had 10. It really continues to grow, and there’s always new sites and churches that want to jump in on it.”
One of the foundation’s partners, Meals of Hope, provides all of the ingredients for the prepackaged meals that come at the request of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which distributes them to disadvantaged individuals and families.
According to Kricher, each site provides different meals that include foods such as macaroni and cheese, vegetable soup and fortified oatmeal, which is what volunteers helped pack on Friday morning.
“People can take and open it up, and they’ve got an instant meal,” he said.
Zubik noted that the generosity of thousands of volunteers across Western Pennsylvania is what has made Amen to Action such a success over the last seven years.
“It’s important to note that at every one of the sites, the volunteer numbers filled up rapidly,” he said. “I think that says something about how generous people in southwestern Pennsylvania are to really be a part of this effort.”
