Richard Gwin/Journal World-Photo.From left, Girl Scouts Olivia Martinez and Regan MacDonald members of troop 7729 along with over 200 people were on hand on Saturday October 25, 2015 at Free State High school to help prepare over 40,000 meals as part of Make A Difference Day, for the 4th annual United Way of Douglas County Great Start Pack.

From left, Girl Scouts Olivia Martinez and Regan MacDonald, members of Troop 7729, along with more than 200 people were on hand on Saturday at Free State High School to help prepare 40,000 meals for community food banks.

More than 200 people helped feed their community Saturday at Free State High School.

Music played, people cheered, and thousands of meals were prepared for those less fortunate at the fourth annual United Way of Douglas County Great Start Pack. Volunteers at this year’s event made 40,000 servings of a fortified rice and bean meal that will be distributed by United Way’s partner, Just Food, to local food pantries.

Elizabeth Keever, chief resource officer at Just Food, said though an exact number is hard to quantify, the meals will help thousands of families countywide.

“Just Food has a lot of storage, so the pantries can come and pick up items as they are needed,” she said.

Several groups were among the tables, helping portion different elements of the meal packets. Families, businesses and even the Kansas University men’s baseball team participated.

“This is a fun way to engage a group to do something meaningful and fun,” said Lori Johns, the United Way’s director of volunteer engagement.

Jen Jones, troop leader of Girl Scout Troop No. 7729, said it was the troop’s first year participating in the pack and the girls were “loving it.”

“This year the troop wanted to focus on people in the community and help give back to them,” Jones explained.

She had heard about the event from one of the troop member’s mother and decided to get the entire unit involved. Jones said that the girls, ages 9 and 10, realized they were doing something good for their community by participating and that the troop planned to return for the event next year.

Maria Meredith, an event veteran, noted a few changes since she, her husband and kids started volunteering three years ago — mostly, she said, an influx of children getting involved. Like Jones, Meredith sees the pack as a great way for kids to learn about community service.

“This event teaches children the habit of giving,” she said.