Vikings players deliver Thanksgiving meals
The Minnesota Vikings and UnitedHealthcare on Tuesday teamed up to purchase, package and deliver 500 Thanksgiving food boxes for Minneapolis and St. Paul families in need. View event photos.
The Vikings defensive line distributed 250 of the boxes at the Central Ave. Salvation Army in Minneapolis, while the offensive line distributed another 250 boxes at the the West 7th Salvation Army in St. Paul. Each box included a frozen turkey.
Prior to the distribution, UnitedHealthcare employees spent an hour packing the boxes full of mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and other Thanksgiving staples.
Five defensive linemen served at the Minneapolis event, including Danielle Hunter, Linval Joseph, Stephen Weatherly, Shamar Stephen, and Stacy Keely.
“It’s always great to give back,” Joseph said. “To be a part of this event means the world to me.”
Added Weatherly: “The least we can do is take an hour of our day and meet the people who are cheering us on.”
The leader of the Central Ave. Salvation Army, Lt. Jessica Martinez, was grateful that so many people from the Vikings and UnitedHealthcare came to support the people of Northeast Minneapolis.
“We have been blessed by God and the Vikings and UnitedHealthcare," Martinez said.
UnitedHealthcare employees participated in the event as part of the company’s “Do Good. Live Well.” initiative to fight hunger.
“We want people to live healthier lives,” said Sara Ball, program manager for UnitedHealthcare’s Social Responsibility Team. “One of UnitedHealthcare’s missions is to decrease hunger, and this event is the perfect way to do that.”
Thousands of hardworking families are battling poverty in Minnesota and North Dakota. You can help them win by donating $25 a month or becoming a bell ringer. Join The Salvation Army this Christmas season and #FightForGood.