GASSAWAY, W.Va. — As part of an effort to educate volunteers on hunger relief efforts, the Mountaineer Food Bank will host its second annual Hunger Summit beginning Thursday at the Days Inn in Flatwoods.
According to Mountaineer Food Bank executive director Chad Morrison, the two-day event will serve as an outlet to teach volunteers how to provide healthy options in an efficient manner.
“The volunteers that are working these programs in your local communities are working all the time trying to get more food and more resources,” he said. “It’s tough getting the right food. It’s tough getting the healthy foods in. It’s a never ending need.”
The summit will feature multiple speakers, including Mark Bowe of the DIY Network show, “Barnwood Builders.” Morrison said Bowe will talk about community efforts and the importance of working together in providing assistance.
“That’s what we’re all about,” Morrison said.
Morrison said it is often difficult to understand the work that goes into advocating and addressing hunger-related issues, adding the public does not see the planning and research that takes place. He said the event will provide the opportunity for groups to learn how to attract more volunteers and gain more products for distribution.
“There’s so much going on in the background that it’s really great to understand how hard our volunteers are working to get food out,” he said. “How hard the feeding programs and food banks work. It never stops and it never really slows down.”
The food bank expects more than 200 people will attend the summit. It also will unveil its new logo to the public.