Hope for the Hungry, the Rotary Club of Bedford’s meal-packing event to fight hunger, returns to Bedford on Saturday, March 21, at the Bedford campus of Middlesex Community College, 591 Springs Rd. Check-in begins at 9:30 a.m., and the event continues until noon. This year’s event has a focus on youth volunteers, giving young people the opportunity to take a leading role in service to help fight hunger. Registration is open, and individuals, families, and community groups are encouraged to join.
Participants can register for Hope for the Hungry as part of a group or as individuals who will be placed on a team. Because the event includes many younger volunteers, groups are asked to note how many participants are under age 18 so tables can be assigned appropriately and safety guidelines can be followed.
In addition to packing meals, the Rotary Club of Bedford will collect personal care items for the MCC Food Pantry during the event. Donations of items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, and deodorant will be accepted. Donations can be dropped off at MCC on the day of the event.
St Paul’s Episcopal Church, which has been fundraising for Hope for the Hungry for months, has joined as a sponsor-partner. Sponsors and donors also include Bedford Rotary Foundation, Meals of Hope, and Middlesex Community College; table sponsors are Jacquelin Apsler of Domestic Violence Support Network, Bedford Community Table and Food Pantry, CBiz, South Asian Association of Bedford, and Salem 5 Bank; and half-table sponsors Diane Cadogan Hughes, Realtor for Barret Sotheby’s International Realty and Rockland Trust. Other sponsors include Debi Malone, Realtor, and Linda & Frank Cargiuolo.