More than 150 people gathered at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lehighton on Sunday to take part in a food packing "frenzy." They packaged more than 20,000 meals in just a few hours. Every meal will remain in Carbon County to feed local hungry children, elderly and adults.

The event was sponsored by the Carbon County chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent and local businesses and community members donated approximately $5,000 to pay for the food materials, which were purchased through the non-profit food packaging company End Hunger NE and Outreach Inc."The response has been overwhelming. I can't believe the response," said Thrivent chapter president Al Sellers. "People were so excited about this. We've seen a tremendous outpouring of help and contributions."Rev. Matthew Martin, the regional manager of Outreach Inc., noted that the gathering was one of the largest he's seen to staff four assembly lines. Volunteers took turns on the assembly lines to ensure that all would have a chance to help assemble the meals, which consisted of a ready-to-prepare fortified macaroni and cheese."It's exciting to see so many people here," said Martin. "It's like a party. It's fun."He said that Outreach Inc. began more than 40 years ago in the mid-west, when a ministry leader began using the power of bulk buying to create inexpensive, shelf-stable meals for hungry children overseas. Eventually, the company realized that they could use a similar process to help feed the hungry in America."Aren't there hungry kids right here? One out of every four kids in our country goes to bed hungry. That's not OK," said Martin. "Most of the meals I help to package stay in the county that they're packaged in. This meal will meet the nutritional needs of any kid on the planet."He noted that while End Hunger NE coordinates packaging events throughout the year, the timing of this local event is important. It comes the weekend before Thanksgiving, and during the area's first weeks of winter weather."This is a particularly bad time of year. A lot of people are trying to make the decision if they will feed their child, or heat their home. No one should have to make that decision," said Martin.Martin thanked Thrivent and Sellers for organizing the event, adding that it is people like those who helped today that are the greatest hope against hunger."If every person who was not hungry put $16 in a hat, we could effectively end hunger in Pennsylvania," he said. "That's all it takes - a catalyst to start making a difference."For more information about End Hunger NE, go to

www.endhungerne.org.