October 2022
YOU CAN BE IN AN OFFICE BUILDING IN GLEN ALLEN, VA., AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A LIFE A WORLD AWAY. That was the experience of employees at Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, where teammates joined on an August morning to assemble and pack 10,000 meals for school-age children around the globe.
The initiative was part of Raleigh, N.C.-based Rise Against Hunger’s efforts to supply simple, nourishing meals to the needy. Team workers at ODEC, which provides wholesale power to 11 mid-Atlantic cooperatives, poured rice, soy and nutrients into plastic bags sealed for distribution to places as far away as South Sudan.
“This was my first year coordinating the event and the team with Rise Against Hunger made it very easy to set up this event, help all the teams start working quickly and help load the finished meal packets along with clean-up,” says Robbie Staples, ODEC business analyst/developer. “It was great to see all the ODEC employees working together, and I look forward to future volunteer opportunities.”
The need is evident — according to the United Nations, almost 12% of the world’s population lacks food security and 22% of children under 5 are affected by stunting of growth. Team ODEC’s output will go toward the 17 million meals that Rise Against Hunger generates for consumption in 29 countries.
“Concern for Community is the Seventh Cooperative Principle, and ODEC’s employees demonstrate it time and again. The Rise Against Hunger volunteer effort is one of many ways our employees give back, and it’s great to work for an organization that supports these kind of volunteer efforts,” says Kirk Johnson, ODEC senior vice president of member engagement.
To learn more visit, riseagainsthunger.org.