GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) -- An upcoming local nonprofit initiative seeks to create an impact during the NFL Draft by salvaging surplus food that would otherwise be discarded and channeling these resources toward aiding individuals in the region who are facing difficulties securing their next meal.
If "Rooted In" Inc. has a single aim when the NFL Draft kicks off on April 24, it is to ensure that nobody worries about where their next meal will come from.
"We aim for visitors to comprehend the issue of food insecurity affecting individuals in Wisconsin when tourists come here. This understanding might inspire them to return to their own communities and take action towards addressing this problem," explained Selena Darrow, the Executive Director and Founder of Rooted In Incorporated.
On Draft day, this not-for-profit group will organize their Local Lineup: Draft Day Food Fest within the premises of the Bellin Health Titletown Sports Medicine and Orthopedics Clinic’s parking area.
You'll discover 10 local food craftsmen along with five food trucks, all set up so that any leftover provisions not utilized by the Green Bay Packers daily during the Draft can be distributed as planned. Any excess food collected at the event will be donated to community organizations and placed inside communal refrigerators for those in need.
Jeanette Knill, who volunteers, mentions that this type of work gives you the feeling of genuinely making a difference.
"As a volunteer, it gives me a sense of fulfillment knowing that I'm making a difference in someone's life, and simultaneously assures them that members of our community genuinely care about their well-being. Hopefully, once they're no longer facing such challenges, they will also choose to contribute," stated Knill.
A phase in somebody's life that Selena Darrow knows well.
I spent two decades as a single mother and depended on social service programs to assist me in becoming self-sufficient so that I could contribute to my community," stated Darrow. "People turn to food pantries out of necessity. Nobody chooses to rely on these services.
Almost two years since it began, this organization has contributed more than 14,000 pounds of food to various communities across Brown County.
