Thanks to West St. Paul Chiropractic for their support.
On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, volunteers are coming together to pack food and collect supplies to support local food shelves. South Robert Street Business Association (SRSBA) is organizing the Knock Out Hunger Border Battle, an event that pits West St. Paul against South St. Paul in a competition to do some good.
What: Each city will put together eight teams of volunteers to pack oatmeal for Harvest Pack. The event will determine who can pack the most meals, feeding hungry families in the community and scoring bragging rights.
Supply drive: The event also includes a donation drive for needed supplies. The most commonly needed items include personal care products and toiletries, toilet paper, period products, laundry pods, toothpaste, and soap/shampoo. Non-perishable food items and donations are always accepted.
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What’s the Goal
The goal is to pack 30,000 meals and collect supplies for local nonprofits including 360 Communities, Neighborhood House, Neighbors, Inc., and The Open Door Pantry.
- Holiday spirit: “I remember when the holiday season meant a whole lot to people,” said Jim Probst, president of SRSBA. He recalled pancake breakfasts with Santa Claus where families would come and parents would skip the pancakes because they couldn’t afford it, but still wanted to give their kids that holiday experience. “That meant the world to me and showed me that there’s a huge need in this community and people want to celebrate the holidays as a family. So how can we bring that spirit back a little bit to our communities?”
- Impact: “Events like this highlight the importance of community engagement and the impact we can have when we unite,” said Lauren Siefer, partnership manager at Harvest Pack. “Each meal packed represents a step toward taking on hunger in our community, and we are incredibly grateful for the dedication of our volunteers and supporters.”
- Small businesses: “Let’s start something that really shows people that the small businesses can make an impact in our community,” Probst said. “It’s the small businesses that are putting 30,000 meals into the hands of people in need.”
Border Battle Rivalry
“I’m old enough to remember when South St. Paul and West St. Paul were rivals way back when,” Probst said. He hopes to tap into that spirit by creating competition. True to the theme of the event, there will be an actual belt that goes to the winning city.
So who’s going to win? “In a friendly rivalry like this, if we can feed 30,000 kids, that’s the win for everybody,” Probst said.
“But I do have a little bit of a soft spot in my heart for West St. Paul,” Probst admitted. “But South St. Paul does have that advantage of being the Packers.”
How to Participate
There are two ways to volunteer:
- Pack food: You can join a team to pack food or sign up as an extra volunteer.
- Donate supplies: Collect supplies and show up on Saturday to drop off your items and cheer on your favorite city.
When: Saturday, November 30, with supply drop off from 9 a.m. to noon and the food packing starting at 10 a.m.
Where: Evolve Workplace at 260 Wentworth Avenue East in West St. Paul.
More: Get more info on the Knock Out Hunger Border Battle.
“People are stepping up,” Probst said. “That’s not a surprise. People want to help, especially this time of the year.”
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