MILLS RIVER, N.C. (828newsNOW) — About 200 volunteers from 17 Western North Carolina companies are set to roll up their sleeves Thursday for MANNA FoodBank’s annual “Pack to Give Back” event, turning a few hours of teamwork into thousands of pounds of food for neighbors in need.

The event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 4, at the WNC Ag Center Expo Building in Fletcher. Volunteers will pack 28,000 pounds of dry beans into family-sized portions that will be distributed through MANNA’s network of partner agencies across 16 counties and the Qualla Boundary.

Organizers say the corporate volunteer effort has become a steady way for local businesses to step into the region’s ongoing food insecurity challenges, especially as demand remains high following Hurricane Helene and continued economic pressure on working families.

“This is really about community showing up for community,” MANNA FoodBank said in announcing the event. “These packed meals move quickly from the table to local pantries and into homes where they’re needed most.”

Seven companies are taking part for the first time this year, joining returning corporate teams in what has become a signature hands-on service event for the nonprofit.

Among the sponsors, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is the presenting sponsor, with Cigna Healthcare serving as truck sponsor. Pallet sponsors include Mountain Air Mechanical Contractors, Hunter Automotive Group, FedUp Foods, Beverly-Grant Contractors, HCA Healthcare, First Horizon Bank and Anderson Automotive Group.

Volunteer pack teams include employees from Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, New Belgium Brewing, Modera Wealth, Aeroflow Health, Harris Teeter, Sierra Nevada Brewing, GE Aerospace and Poppy Handmade Popcorn.

The need remains significant across the region. MANNA officials say neighbors are making more than 220,000 visits each month to its food distribution network, underscoring what they describe as “historically high” demand.

While food costs remain elevated and many rural communities continue to face access challenges, MANNA says events like Pack to Give Back help keep shelves stocked and distribution lines moving.

MANNA FoodBank, a member of Feeding America, has served Western North Carolina since 1983. The organization partners with more than 300 agencies across the region and distributes millions of pounds of food each year to help address food insecurity.

For many involved Thursday, organizers say the goal is simple: a few hours of packing that translates into thousands of meals for families who need them.