While millions “marched for life” on Saturday, March 24, 2018, a local eatery and a nonprofit spent part of that same day helping another important cause.
MOD Pizza, the makers of Artisan-style pizzas and salads, and Generosity Feeds, a nonprofit that feeds hungry children across the country, partnered for a meal packing event at Germantown Elementary School in Annapolis where 20,000 meals were put together for those in need.
“Nearly one in five kids go hungry every day in the United States— with MOD’s partnership and donation, we now have the ability to extend our impact nationally,” said Ron Klabunde, the founder and CEO of Generosity Feeds, which has focused on making a local impact in the fight to end child hunger since 2011. “Like MOD, we have discovered that the value of decreasing food insecurity is more than just giving people food, it involves mobilizing people into a lifestyle of generosity.”
With an estimated 34 percent of the youth in Anne Arundel County struggling with food insecurities, MOD and Generosity Feeds and other partners, which includes Revolution Annapolis; Weems Creek Church; Giant; Chick-fil-A; The Brown Mustache; Starbucks; Tyler Technology; Crosby Marketing Communications; Secure Offices; ProObject; and Graul’s Market prepared meals of beans and rice at the packing event.
The event enjoyed the support of more than 500 volunteers, who formed assembly lines as over 20,000 meals were measured, packed and sealed for distribution to The Bridge Church Backpack program and Tyler Heights Elementary School.
Each meal package consisted of two servings of black beans, rice, mixed vegetables and seasoning.
The meal-packing event is part of a nationwide initiative from Generosity Feeds and MOD Pizza to create over 500,000 meals by the end of 2018.
The March 24 effort took place as millions of “March for Life” demonstrators took to the streets in cities around the country to bring awareness to gun violence in American schools and around the nation.
Organizers said the meal program is also important.
“Every year, MOD Pizza celebrates its mission of making a positive social impact with its Spreading MODness week in November where they donate $1 from every pizza to a local non-profit,” said Charlotte Wayte, the public relations manager at MOD Pizza.
This year, the company decided to donate exclusively to Generosity Feeds in what totaled more than $364,000.
The pair has previously worked together because Generosity Feeds’ mission aligns with that of MOD Pizza, which is to mobilize people into a lifestyle of generosity, according to Wayte.
“This was the first of 40 events which will take place this year across the United States, with the goal of creating over 500,000 meals,” Wayte said. “The best part was all of the other local businesses that joined us to make the event possible – and now 20,000 meals will be funneled to local kids struggling with food insecurity.”
Both MOD Pizza and Generosity Feeds officials say they share a common goal of feeding hungry children in the communities where MOD operates.
“The idea is to encourage and inspire other community members and businesses to all come together to take action and make a difference,” Wayte said, noting the various sponsors and participants at the March 24 event.