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Team Dover delivers 3,000 meals to hungry youths

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Samuel Taylor
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Food Bank of Delaware, Milford Branch --  More than 20 Airmen from Dover Air Force Base, Del., packed 3,000 meals for local underprivileged youths here June 12.

The volunteers partnered with the FBD, which relies solely on volunteerism to aid more than 240,000 food-insecure Delawareans annually. The meals, consisting of milk, juice, fruit, cereal and microwaveable entrees, are delivered to children whose families often must choose between purchasing food and basic utilities.

We don't have paid workers, so without volunteers like [the Airmen of Dover AFB], this food would not make it into the communities where it's needed, said Matthew Brandi, the volunteer coordinator with FBD, Milford Branch. We appreciate all the hard work - these Airmen are very fast workers.

Almost too fast; the Airmen, whose mission is to deliver cargo around the globe at a moment's notice, were asked to stop early to leave work for the next volunteer group.

"Hey, the faster we work, the more people get fed," said Airman 1st Class Stephen Elliott, a sheet metal specialist and native of Fayetteville, N.C. "It just feels like a good thing to do. We care about our community."

At the day's end, the food was palletized and the supplies were stowed with a preciseness that would impress an Aerial Port Squadron commander; most importantly, thousands of meals were placed in the hands of hungry Delawareans - courtesy of the FBD and Team Dover.

To get involved with the FBD, either through volunteerism or donations, visit http://www.fbd.org/get-involved/