ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — United Way of Greater St. Joseph will celebrate the assembly of its 10,000th Meal Kit on Tuesday, July 14, marking a significant milestone made possible through the generosity of Mosaic Life Care, the Mosaic Life Care Foundation, United Way donors and hundreds of dedicated community volunteers.
The milestone will be recognized during a Caring Connection volunteer session from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the United Way office, where volunteers will continue assembling meal kits for local individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
The achievement traces back to November 2025, when Mosaic Life Care announced a $50,000 donation to United Way to support local food programs. The Mosaic Life Care Foundation matched that gift, bringing the total investment to $100,000. The funding came at a critical time as families across the region faced increased hardship following disruptions to SNAP benefits and the impacts of the federal government shutdown.
Those funds allowed United Way to purchase food and mobilize volunteers through its Caring Connection Crew initiative to assemble and distribute nutritious meal kits to households throughout Northwest Misouri and Northeast Kansas. Ongoing support from United Way donors has also helped sustain the Caring Connection Crew by providing the resources needed to organize volunteer sessions, strengthen community partnerships and continue responding to local needs throughout the year.
"Our community responded when families needed it most," said Kylee Strough, President of United Way. "This milestone represents more than 10,000 meal kits. It represents thousands of moments of compassion, from the generosity of Mosaic Life Care and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation to every volunteer who gave their time to help ensure our neighbors had food on their tables."
The first large-scale effort funded through the donation took place during the fall of 2025, when Caring Connection Crew volunteers assembled more than 6,600 Meal Kits to help fill the gap created by disruptions to SNAP benefits during the holiday season. Since then, volunteers have continued meeting throughout 2026 to assemble additional meal kits, reaching the milestone of 10,000 meals prepared for local distribution.
The meal kits are distributed through United Way Partner Agencies and community organizations, helping individuals, families, seniors and others facing food insecurity access nutritious, shelf-stable food.
"The support from Mosaic Life Care and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation allowed us to respond quickly to an urgent community need while creating a sustainable volunteer effort that continues today," Strough said. "Together, we've built something that not only provides food but also brings people together to care for one another."
United Way launched the Caring Connection Crew in 2025 to provide meaningful, hands-on volunteer opportunities that directly address community needs. Since its inception, the initiative has welcomed more than 700 volunteers, who have assembled Hygiene Kits, Fresh Start Kits, Outdoor Fun Kits and Meal Kits that support local nonprofit organizations and the people they serve.
The Caring Connection Crew continues this July with a goal of assembling 1,800 additional Meal Kits for area residents. Volunteers of all ages are welcome, and no prior experience is necessary.
Remaining July volunteer sessions include:
Monday, July 13 | 5:30–7 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14 | 1–2:30 p.m. (10,000th Meal Kit Celebration)
Wednesday, July 15 | 9–10:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 16 | 5:30–7 p.m.
Friday, July 17 | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 18 | 9:30–11 a.m.
All sessions will be held at United Way of Greater St. Joseph, 118 South Fifth Street.