On Thursday, Aug. 14, hundreds of volunteers will gather at 1960 Coliseum Drive, Suite 107 for one of Cumberland County’s most impactful community service initiatives: the Annual Meal Packing Event presented by Cape Fear Valley Health, in collaboration with United Way of Cumberland County. Running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., this massive two-hour push is designed to provide 70,000 shelf-stable meals to local food pantries and organizations that support families struggling with food insecurity. Doors open at 10:30 a.m., and by the time noon strikes, lives will already be touched by the thousands of meal packets prepared during what’s become a signature community moment.
“This event stays 100% local,” said Toni Wildhaber, director of development at United Way of Cumberland County. “Every meal packed goes to our Cumberland County partners, which include organizations like Alms House, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, Catholic Charities, Operation Blessing, and more.”
Last year, 400 volunteers packed 70,000 meals in just over 30 minutes. That momentum is expected to carry forward in 2025 with volunteers from every corner of the city, including business leaders, civic groups, school teams, and individual residents who want to make a difference during their lunch break.
“Our volunteer count is already over 500 this year,” Wildhaber said. “We originally capped registration at 400, but we’ve had such an outpouring of support that we’ve expanded our slots. It’s a testament to how deeply this community cares.”
Planning an event of this scale doesn’t happen overnight. According to Wildhaber, logistical planning begins immediately after United Way wraps its April ‘Over the Edge’ fundraiser. The Crown Complex is reserved a year in advance as the official site of the packing day, offering space, parking, and accessibility for the hundreds expected to attend. An events committee, comprised of representatives from local businesses and organizations, meets monthly starting in May to coordinate sponsorships, logistics, volunteer assignments, and food distribution plans.
On Aug. 13, the day before the event, a crew of over 70 volunteers, including the FTCC softball and baseball teams, American Legion, Dirtbag Ales, and Cumberland County’s Aging for Older Adults Program, will assemble tables and organize supplies for the next day’s effort. The packing process itself is a well-oiled machine. Runners, approximately 68 strong, will transport packed meals to distribution areas where representatives from food pantries will collect them.
“There’s something powerful about watching those trucks roll out full of meals you just helped pack,” Wildhaber said. “It brings the impact full circle.”
The event runs entirely on community support and sponsorships.
“We receive no federal funding,” Wildhaber explained. “Everything we do is made possible by our incredible local donors and businesses who believe in our mission to improve the quality of life in Cumberland County.”
The 2025 event boasts a strong lineup of partners:
• Cape Fear Valley Health – Presenting Sponsor
• Yellow Crayons – In-kind T-shirt Sponsor
• Crown Complex – Venue Sponsor
• Don Chase from KML Radio – Emcee
Additional sponsors include Fleet Feet, Omni Military Loans, Southern Carpet Sales, Home Security, Piedmont Natural Gas, Dogwood Bank, Metronet, and I Know A Guy Contracting, among others.
Volunteers will represent over 40 businesses and organizations, such as Fayetteville Technical Community College, Bank of America, Walmart Distribution Center, Eaton, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the City of Fayetteville, Delta Sigma Phi, and Greater Life of Fayetteville.
While the event centers on packing food, it’s also about building community.
“It’s an opportunity for volunteers to physically do something that leaves an immediate and tangible impact,” Wildhaber said. “And it’s a lot of fun.”
United Way’s broader mission to improve lives by addressing critical human needs is at the heart of this initiative.
“We want volunteers to walk away knowing they’re helping their neighbors,” she said. “They’re supporting single parents, seniors, veterans, real people living right here in Cumberland County.”
In addition to meal packing, attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable canned goods to contribute to a food drive benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank. Collection bins will be available on site. The Annual Meal Packing Event is a chance to give back in a big way through volunteering, sponsoring, or simply cheering from the sidelines.
“This is what community looks like,” Wildhaber said. “It’s people coming together to lift each other up, and that’s something we can all be proud of.”
For more information, contact Toni Wildhaber at 910-483-1179 ext. 225 or ToniWildhaber@unitedway-cc.org.
(Photo: A team member with PWC participates in a meal packing event with United Way. This year, Cape Fear Valley Health is partnering with United Way of Cumberland County to help pack 70,000 meals for those who may need them in the community. Photo courtesy of United Way of Cumberland County)