About 200 volunteers will gather at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, March 2, in the Community Center for the Food for Kidz food packing event.

They will spend the next two hours packing thousands of dehydrated meals to be distributed through various organizations that feed the hungry.

“Planning has gone well and we should be set to go on Thursday,” Denny Rubenow said, New Journey Lutheran Church’s chairperson for this year’s event.

Participants should arrive between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. No prior registration is required. Chairs will be provided for those who need to sit while packing. Participants will be assigned to teams of 10 that will pack the meals assembly-line style, adding different ingredients as the packets move down the line.

Volunteers affiliated with a group are asked to arrive together so they can participate at the same packing table.

It’s not too late to participate, Rubenow said. Just show up at the designated time.Rubenow and other members of the steering committee greatly appreciate the community participation in the enterprise.

“It’s a chance for people to come together to help other people,” he said. “We want to say thank you to the many people and organizations in the community who have made these food-packing events a success.”

This project is led by New Journey Lutheran Church (ELCA) with co-hosts, Church of the Ascension and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Organizational sponsors to date include the Northeast Valley Consortium of ELCA churches, Thrivent and Kiwanis. Donations pay for the dry ingredients. Contributions will still be accepted Thursday at the packing location in the Community Center.