Each year at its two annual trade shows, Nationwide Marketing Group officials challenge their network of independent retailers to pack as many meals as possible for delivery to hungry children around the country and world.

This year, in partnership with No Child Hungry and as part of the National Week of Giving, local retailer World of Values in Hempfield brought that spirit of giving to its facility on Outlet Way.

“At the national show a couple years ago, we had a goal of 60,000 meals,” World of Values owner Gershon Guttman said. “We ended up doing 100,000, and as a result got some extra perks from Nationwide’s suppliers. At this year’s show, they wanted to get at least one retailer in each state to do a local version of the program.”

On Thursday morning, the main floor of World of Values had an assembly line filling plastic sleeves with meal packets that include rice, grains and vitamins at one end and heat-sealing and boxing them at the other end.

The goal was to pack 10,000 meals, Guttman said.

“It takes about eight people to get things running smoothly,” Guttman said. “We have some folks from our facility along with volunteers coming in throughout the day.”

The meals were distributed by Westmoreland County Food Bank.

Nationwide members have packed more than 685,000 meals since partnering with No Child Hungry in 2018.

More than 37 million people struggle with hunger in the U.S., including more than 11 million children, according to nonprofit Feeding America.

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