Kindness Grows, a local nonprofit organization, in partnership with Manheim Township School District, has announced the Manheim Township Rise Against Hunger program, a community service event to feed children and families with food insecurities locally and worldwide. The effort will also also include collecting donations for Thanksgiving meals for Lancaster County families.

The culminating event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Manheim Township High School cafeteria, 115 Blue Streak Blvd., Lancaster. During the event, volunteers will package meals with Rise Against Hunger, an international hunger relief nonprofit organization that coordinates the worldwide packaging and distribution of food and other aid to people in developing nations. Rise Against Hunger will orchestrate the supplies and transport the meals. Community volunteers will pack meals in a simple assembly-line format. People of all ages and abilities are invited to volunteer. In two hours, volunteers will assemble more than 10,000 meals for children worldwide,

For an added element of "FUNdraising," the Manheim Township High School cheerleading and football teams and marching band will compete to see which group can raise the most funds. The FUNdraising trophy will be presented to the top earning student group at the conclusion of this event.

There will also be a Thanksgiving Meals Food Drive. The local community, students and staff members can donate nonperishable food items. Needed donations include boxed stuffing, canned cranberry sauce, canned green beans, canned corn, boxed mashed potatoes and canned gravy, as well as coffee vouchers. The goal is to collect enough donations that meal packages can be created to feed 100 families in Lancaster County. Donations can be brought to the Manheim Township High School main office through Friday, Oct. 17.

For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.kindnessgrowspa.org.