Central Ohio Union Volunteers Pack Food For 3,500 Families For The Holidays
More than 800 volunteers are dedicating their time this week to pack and distribute boxes of food for St. Stephen's Community House's 71st annual "Christmas Cares, Unions Share" food drive.
Over seven days, volunteers will assemble and distribute the boxes to help feed Franklin County families this holiday season.
Madison Massey of St. Stephen's Community House said demand has been high this year. "I think right now specifically a lot of people are feeling the economic uncertainty. We always have huge turnout for this event, but this year specifically we saw people registering earlier, we saw our spots filling up faster," Massey said.
This marks the 71st year St. Stephen's has partnered with the Central Ohio Labor Council for the distribution.
Organizers said the effort aims to reduce holiday stress and help bridge the gap when children aren't receiving meals in school. "Giving people a fully belly is just a way to do better in the world," said Josh Greenlee, a volunteer from United Food and Commercial Workers.