A post-Thanksgiving party atmosphere filled the David L. Lawrence Convention Center Friday morning. Instead of dancing, more than 3,000 volunteers scooped macaroni to the beat of Pharrell's “Happy” and Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration.”
The volunteers, from numerous area churches and locales, filled, sealed and labeled bag after bag of fortified macaroni-and-cheese mix — with the goal of one million meals — for the second annual Amen to Action event.
The event is hosted by a group of local faith leaders — including the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh’s Bishop David Zubik, the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh’s Bishop James Hobby, and the Rev. William Glaze of Bethany Baptist church in Homewood — in partnership with Meals of Hope and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
“What’s wonderful is the community’s here on a day when people are typically doing selfish things, shopping, what have you, and we’re here packing one million meals for the people who are hungry throughout Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Stephen Popper, CEO and president of the national Meals of Hope program that organizes roughly 200 food packing events each year. Amen to Action is one of its largest.
The volunteers packed a total of 1,026,432 meals, organizers said, exceeding this year’s goal and topping last year’s total of 1,014,366.
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank will distribute the meals to more than 400 area food pantries and school programs.
“We will get these meals on Monday, and they will be on the tables of Southwestern Pennsylvanians by the end of the year,” said Lisa Scales, the food bank’s CEO and president. “This is the largest single donation we’ll receive all year.”
The morning began with a non-denominational service at 9 a.m. and packing began shortly after.
“Unity is a real big part of what we’re doing, people from all walks of life and religions working together for this common goal,” said Father Joe Mele, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s leadership development office.
At one of what seemed like an endless row of assembly lines, three generations of the Scanlon family of Aspinwall worked to the music in their hairnets and gloves.
Eight-year-old Alexis Scanlon measured elbow macaroni as her aunt Brenda Scanlon, 58, of Eastern Shore, Md., held bags under a funnel. Another aunt, Helen Remington, 54, of Central Pennsylvania, inserted the cheese packets.
“I like helping people,” Alexis said.
Down the line, her 86-year-old grandmother of Aspinwall, and uncle Bill Scanlon, 49, of Cleveland, weighed and sealed the 12.5-ounce bags.
“We did it last year, and we loved it,” Brenda said. “My brother said it was his favorite thing of the entire holiday.”
Last night the family sat around the Thanksgiving table with 20 relatives in Aspinwall.
“We had a really nice dinner,” Brenda added. “I like giving up shopping to do this. We’d rather do something to help people.”
Beside the Scanlon family, Rev. Glaze labeled the bags and placed them in boxes, alongside his 11-year-old granddaughter.
“Yesterday we had family time together, and today we serve,” he said. “While everybody else is out giving away their money, we’re here giving away our service.”
First Published: November 23, 2018, 6:45 p.m.
