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Myrna Cardin, wife of Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, donned a T-shirt printed with "Elect to end hunger" and went to work Tuesday on an assembly line at the Maryland Food Bank in Halethorpe. Nearly 100 volunteers, including the spouses of many federal and state officials, filled about 5,000 cartons with ingredients for a holiday dinner.
"As spouses, we are not asked to do many things," Cardin said. "When we heard they needed to fill boxes, we felt we could make a difference to end hunger."
Packing day coincided with Election Day in many jurisdictions around the country and was similar to an event organized earlier this year in Washington by first lady Michelle Obama.
"Mrs. Obama asked us to go back to our communities and do what we could to ease suffering in this economy," said Kay Ruppersberger, wife of Democratic Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. "Marylanders are hurting, just like the rest of the nation. This is a way to pitch in and help."
Thousands of turkeys, stored floor to ceiling in the warehouse's freezer, will eventually accompany the cartons the food bank will deliver to area soup kitchens, food pantries and other charities.
Demand for donations has increased nearly 30 percent at the food bank, and for the first time in its 30-year history, the agency is handling requests from middle-class families that do not qualify for government programs but need assistance, mostly because of unemployment. "This recession has hit many families who have never had to ask for help," said John Shea, director of programs for the food bank.
"We are all having fun helping out," said Barbara Weir, wife of Del. Michael H. Weir Jr., a Baltimore County Democrat. "It's really cool watching the line move so quickly. It reminds us of that old 'I Love Lucy' show."
"As spouses, we are not asked to do many things," Cardin said. "When we heard they needed to fill boxes, we felt we could make a difference to end hunger."
Packing day coincided with Election Day in many jurisdictions around the country and was similar to an event organized earlier this year in Washington by first lady Michelle Obama.
"Mrs. Obama asked us to go back to our communities and do what we could to ease suffering in this economy," said Kay Ruppersberger, wife of Democratic Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. "Marylanders are hurting, just like the rest of the nation. This is a way to pitch in and help."
Thousands of turkeys, stored floor to ceiling in the warehouse's freezer, will eventually accompany the cartons the food bank will deliver to area soup kitchens, food pantries and other charities.
Demand for donations has increased nearly 30 percent at the food bank, and for the first time in its 30-year history, the agency is handling requests from middle-class families that do not qualify for government programs but need assistance, mostly because of unemployment. "This recession has hit many families who have never had to ask for help," said John Shea, director of programs for the food bank.
"We are all having fun helping out," said Barbara Weir, wife of Del. Michael H. Weir Jr., a Baltimore County Democrat. "It's really cool watching the line move so quickly. It reminds us of that old 'I Love Lucy' show."
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