‘Making a difference.’ Christ Church Greenwich holds Pack-A-Thon

More than 150 volunteers at Christ Church in Greenwich stayed after Sunday service for some hands-on helping.

Tom Krosnowski and Robyn Karashik

Nov 12, 2023, 5:51 PM

Updated 336 days ago

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People in Greenwich packed for a purpose on Sunday at the annual Christ Church meal “Pack-A-Thon.”
More than 150 volunteers at Christ Church in Greenwich stayed after Sunday service for some hands-on helping.
“In about two hours’ time. You can pack over 25,000 meals,” said Marek Zabriskie, a Christ Church rector. “It's like a miracle.”
It follows a specific packing order, with a side dish of dancing. The Pack-A-Thon has also become a tradition for the church as a way to make a global impact.
“Haiti, the Philippines, some areas in South Africa, we even do emergency relief,” said Emily Bhoy, partnership manager for Rise Against Hunger. “So, we just sent out some meals over to Ukraine.”
“When they're far away especially, it's so hard to feel like we can make a meaningful difference,” said Marek Zabriskie, a Christ Church rector. “Living out the words of Matthew 25: ‘Whatever you have done for the least of these, you've done for me.’”
It’s a mission heard loud and clear by churchgoers.
“Our goal this year is, since it's our 275th anniversary, is to have 275 parishioners involved in some outreach activity,” said Tom Riles, the outreach chairman for Christ Church. “I think I set the goal too low!”
Once the meals are boxed up, they’re shipped off to 55 countries across the world, with a particular focus on feeding children.
Bhoy said they primarily work with school feeding programs to ensure children can be supported with as many meals as possible.
“One box is going to be 216 meals, one kid gets fed for a whole entire school year with that one box,” Bhoy said.
Those who receive the 120 boxes packaged on Sunday will know exactly where they came from.
“They want to be part of something that’s making a difference,” Zabriskie said. “Not just proclaiming the message, but also putting the message into forms of hands-on help.”