Making a difference in your community can be as simple as dedicating one of your lunch hours to helping provide meals for those in need. That’s just what United Way of Cumberland County is asking residents to do with their upcoming Meal Packing Event.

On Friday, Aug. 14, UWCC will host its 2026 Meal Packing Event at the Crown Expo Center at 1960 Coliseum Drive. Hours will extend from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This annual event provides underserved residents throughout the community with meals distributed by several partner organizations. So far, multiple organizations have been confirmed to receive the meal packets, with more forthcoming:

• Catholic Charities: Located at 726 Ramsey St. in Suites 10 and 11, this organization’s food pantry is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon

• Fayetteville Urban Ministry: The food pantry, located at 701 Whitfield St., is open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Photo ID or a homeless ID card and proof of Cumberland County residency are required for new clients.

• Armed Services YMCA: Food pantry pickups are held at 2411 Rodney Trail #2 on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prior registration is required.

Help address food insecurity by registering as a volunteer; you’ll work alongside fellow community members to assemble and package meals. The food, which consists of macaroni noodles with sauce, is supplied by Meals of Hope, a nonprofit meal packing organization that delivers a variety of meals across the United States. 

Each meal selection is crafted with essential minerals, proteins and vitamins to help nurture recipients’ health and supplement unbalanced diets. Meals of Hope receives their nonperishable ingredients from trusted sources to provide high-quality options for nutrition.

According to UWCC, over 6,000 volunteer hours have been put toward initiatives to assist more than 100,000 people in Cumberland County. Programs like this one contribute significantly to helping our neighbors thrive. 

“We need to really be that circle of hope of neighbor helping neighbor,” said Toni Wildhaber, the Development Director for UWCC. “We have a lot of businesses that are standing up and coming together to help the food crisis.” 

The goal for this occasion is to prepare 70,000 meal packets to feed people across the county at a time when the effort is most necessary. 

“You just never know when you’re going to need a meal, and we want to make Cumberland County a reliable food source for our individuals and families,” said Wildhaber. “More than ever, this is a really crucial year to keep the momentum going and keep it alive and excited.”

A limited number of spots is available on the assembly line; 600 registrants will be accepted this year, an increase from last year’s 546. Secure your slot by submitting the form at https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=ufrxqmzi48jh38.

Walk-ins aren’t permitted for this event, so anyone looking to contribute should sign up as soon as possible before all slots are filled.

Along with individual registrations, participants can sign up as a group by putting their group name into the form or searching for existing groups. Registrants who want to be with a specific group can also email Wildhaber at development@unitedway-cc.org to state who they want to be registered with.

Every volunteer’s efforts are appreciated, but if you’re unable to attend in person on the day of, there are still other ways to help. 

Monetary and food donations are always welcome. In previous years, UWCC has teamed up with Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina to collect shelf-stable, nonperishable canned items on the day of the Meal Packing Event. This year, food donations can be dropped off at Catholic Charities and Fayetteville Urban Ministry.

Business owners who want to provide their support can also serve as sponsors. There is not yet a presenting sponsor for this event, so anyone interested is encouraged to reach out. 

“We rely so heavily on people’s talent,” Wildhaber said. “A huge thing that we love as well is our donors.”

Whichever way you decide to chip in, any contribution, big or small, serves the community’s well-being and fulfills the UWCC’s mission of raising and investing resources that influence human service and health needs. Occasions like the annual Meal Packing Event are a gratifying display of the care extended to neighbors in need and prove the difference we can make when we come together for a cause.

(Photo: Scott Embry, Executive Director of United Way of Cumberland County, left, poses with a team of volunteers at a meal packing event. The volunteers will pack 70,000 meals to feed people in Cumberland County. Photo courtesy of United Way of Cumberland County)