Hanover Area Community Meal Packing Event

Imagine an auditorium filled with people of all ages, happily engaged in the same project. Music is playing, people are chatting, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company while they work on a simple goal – filling small bags with nutritious dehydrated meals comprised of rice, soy, vegetables, and 23 essential vitamins and minerals. Because of the nature of the task, there is something for everyone to do! Young and old, those who can carry large bags of rice and those who work from a seated position – everyone finds something to do! A gong is sounded as the packers mark every thousand meals with a momentary celebration for the accomplishment. Before you know it, several thousand meals have been assembled, packaged and placed on a truck, ready to be shipped to wherever they are needed. It’s hands on. It’s fun. It’s meaningful! It’s satisfying. There is truly nothing like it! And YOU can be a part of it!

Every two years, Hanover Against Hunger (HAH), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization organizes a biennial Meal Packing Event in conjunction with our partner Rise Against Hunger, a global hunger abatement initiative. Our next event is scheduled for November 1, 2025. During our last event in 2023, 201,730 meals were packed by over 750 community volunteers. To date, in our five previous biennial events, 503,404 meals have been prepared by over 2,100 local volunteers. HAH has raised over $160,000 to meet the challenge. These Packing Events help bring our community together in a spirit of cooperation. Participants are educated about the challenge of meeting the needs of the hungry and connecting them in a very real way to our local and global communities. The hands that pack the meals at our events are the last hands to touch the food before it is served to those in need. Hunger knows no geographical boundaries. Although Hanover Against Hunger in the past has focused primarily on international needs, we have expanded our mission to meet needs closer to home. We are now partnering with local food pantries, emergency food providers and weekend feeding programs for elementary school children. HAH is donating a portion of what we raise to these local efforts, as well as helping to educate the public of their programs, promoting local food drives and more. We are committed to continuing our fundraising in support of our Meal Packing Events, but we will now give a portion of funds raised to local nonprofits who share in our mission to feed the hungry.