September 28, 2018<\/p>\n
After a successful test to see if franchisees could prepare and pack 25,000 meals in an hour\u2019s time, Assisting Hands Home Care announced a philanthropic initiative focused on alleviating hunger for seniors, including the company\u2019s goal of one million meals in an hour.<\/p>\n
Last month during its annual franchise conference in Nashville, Assisting Hands Home Care joined the fight against hunger and hosted a Hunger Project, organized by Feeding Children Everywhere. Approximately 100 Assisting Hands franchisees, national office staff and family members divided into seven teams of 16 to work in assembly-line fashion. With music booming, lentils flying and bells ringing in a sea of hairnets, the volunteers set out to package and pack 25,000 healthy meals for Middle Tennessee seniors.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone knows that there are hungry children and families out there, but I think people forget that there are hungry seniors out there too,\u201d said Patricia Winiecki, co-owner of Assisting Hands Home Care Naples. \u201cThey have a lot of expenses with medical bills and prescriptions, and sometimes food is the last thing that they purchase. I think that gets overlooked a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Winiecki and her husband Robb conceived the idea and presented it to Assisting Hands\u2019 national team who decided to test the process and logistics at the 2018 franchise conference at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.<\/p>\n
In just over an hour, Assisting Hands\u2019 volunteers prepared and packed 25,056 jambalaya meals. The meals will help fight hunger for seniors served by Middle Tennessee food pantries.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is that we do something like this every year, and our ultimate goal is to package one million meals in an hour,\u201d said Winiecki. \u201cYou\u2019ll be surprised when we start packing to see how quickly it goes. And we do fun things like competitions and playing music to get people moving.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Hunger Project was the highlight of our conference,\u201d said Lane Kofoed, Assisting Hands CEO. \u201cI would like us to reach our one-million goal by 2020, which is our company\u2019s 15th anniversary.<\/p>\n
Here is a video of our \u201cHunger Project\u201d.<\/p>\n