West Windsor volunteers packed more than 20,000 meals in one day for those in need

Members of the West Windsor Lions Club, the Leos, the Boy Scouts, and volunteers from the community gathered at the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company on a recent Saturday to pack meals to be sent around the world.

The Lions Club received a grant of $1,715 from the Lions Club International for the Rise Against Hunger meal packing event, and the local Lions Club donated $3,400 for the project. Local club president Avinash Delory worked to help raise enough money to meet the organization’s goal of packing 20,000 meals, which cost $6,829. Resident Alok Sharma put out a call for volunteers, and 70 people responded.

“There is a big world beyond U.S. borders. Because of high efficacy vaccines the pandemic is nearing its end in the developed world. However, in the developing world it will end with a lag and during that time the suffering will compound,” he said in a social media post. ” I just returned from India last week and the mood there is of panic and depression. Millions have lost jobs or are not getting paid, and migrant workers and the poor are suffering terribly. There are close to a hundred countries like India where ‘Rise Against Hunger’ has provided more than half a billion meals over its history.”

Volunteers packed a total of 20,088 meals during two shifts on May 15. Each bag of food contained six servings of rice, soy, flour, dried vegetables, vitamins and minerals.

Several local officials participated in the event. Sponsors included SD Captial Funding and LemonBrew.

The West Windsor Lions Club has been serving the community since 1952. The group supports Lions Club International’s five major service projects in the areas of vision, hunger, the environment, diabetes and pediatric cancer.