Atlanta Society category interest

ATLANTA — More than 6,000 volunteers filled State Farm Arena on Saturday to fight hunger in metro Atlanta.

They packed more than a million meals to distribute throughout the region.

This is the fourth year the Atlanta Hawks have teamed up with State Farm Arena for the Million Meal Pack.

The arena’s floor was packed with assembly lines where volunteers packed up healthy meals like jambalaya.

But with a DJ playing energetic music and spotlights flashing, the event felt more like a dance party.

Among the volunteers who got into the groove was Melodee Lovett.

“So I love giving back to my community and just doing the Lord’s work, honestly. And with me working remote, I just love getting out of the house and make it count. Do things that matter,” she said.

Every 90 minutes there was a shift change and another batch of volunteers poured into the arena.

They gathered around 80 tables to bundle meals.

More than a million meals were packaged during the seven-and-a-half-hour event.

Gerald Bell brought his crew from HomeTrust Bank.

“Because feeding the homeless, helping people, that is just part of our spirit. I brought my daughter out and we just decided we wanted to give back,” Bell said.

The Atlanta Community Food Bank estimates one in eight Georgians are food insecure, including one in five children.

Jon Babul is Vice President of Community Impact for the Atlanta Hawks.

“It’s really about the connection to our city and seeking out the need of our city and food insecurity. You know, you just see it and hear about it,” Babul said.

The Hawks and State Farm Arena work with U.S. Hunger, a hunger relief organization, to distribute the meals.

“We’re gonna make sure that healthy food gets back out into the community to address those really in need,” Rick Whitted with U.S. Hunger said.

Once the meals are boxed up, they are sent to several nonprofit organizations across metro Atlanta, including Hosea Helps and the Atlanta Community Food Bank.