Want to make a difference in the fight against hunger in Champaign-Urbana and Central Illinois? Want to teach your children that one person CAN make a difference? Want a great opportunity to volunteer together, as a family?
Then pledge your time for the Eastern Illinois Foodbank’s Operation Orange Food Repack as part of Hunger Action Month, on Friday, Sept. 28. Your family can even have the chance to meet a few superheroes – and a be a super hero yourselves.
The Eastern Illinois Foodbank is one of the unique organizations in Champaign-Urbana that offers fulfilling volunteer opportunities for families to “give back.” The Operation Orange Kid’s Zone is a great opportunity for kids ages 5 to 13 to volunteer with their parents. On Sept. 28 from 4-8 p.m., families will participate in repacking closed food product (no hairnets or gloves necessary).
That’s just one part of this inspiring, all-day event where volunteers will be repacking bulk product into family-size portions to be distributed to 220 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters across Eastern Illinois Foodbank’s 18 county region. Volunteers will repack food from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at EIF’s warehouse and headquarters facility in Urbana (2405 North Shore Drive, Urbana). Children ages 10-13 are welcome to volunteer anytime during the event as long as they are accompanied by a parent (attention homeschoolers with older children, great service opportunity!)
The Operation Orange Kids Zone offers two, two-hour shifts. Space is extremely limited, so don’t delay. If you have older kids, please consider volunteering with them at other times, so the younger kids can get in on the action.
OPERATION ORANGE highlights include:
- Volunteers (age 10-13 accompanied by a parent) can sign up for two-hour shifts to keep projects running for 12 hours straight
- Kid’s Zone from 4-8 p.m. where kids ages 5 and up can volunteer with their parents to label cans
- Music and fun
- Food and drinks for all repackers.
- Cookie decorating station for the kids
- Meet superheroes
Volunteers can sign up online and must register; space is EXTREMELY LIMITED.
We look forward to seeing you there! Questions can be directed to Kristen at volunteer@eifoodbank.org.