Publix employees from 12 different stores worked together to unpack, sort and repack nonperishable foods into backpacks for 200 students in Alachua County on Tuesday.

The event at Food4Kids was part of the Publix Serves week.

“It’s only been 30 minutes and they’ve blown it outta the water already,” said Margot Deconna, executive director of Food4Kids, a nonprofit organization that partners with schools to provide food to children experiencing food insecurity.

Deconna said it’s always a great opportunity to work with Publix associates because of the skill set they bring to the warehouse.

“They got the special sauce,” she said.

Publix Serves launched in 2015 as part of Publix’s mission to be an involved and responsible role in their communities, according to their website. Two weeks of the year, in the spring and fall, Publix provides these local volunteer opportunities to its associates. This year, 8,000 Publix employees are expected to participate throughout the week.

Justin Glaser, the assistant store manager of the Publix on NW 13th Street in Gainesville, is responsible for spearheading this fall’s Publix Serves volunteer project, which focuses on fighting hunger.

He said the reason he chose to continue partnering with Food4Kids is because of his wife.

“My wife’s a teacher and so she’s been able to see firsthand the types of kids in our community that were facing those kinds of needs too,” he said.

According to Glaser, Publix is donating $15 million to charities and nonprofits in local operating areas.

“It’s part of who we’re as a company to make sure that we’re giving back,” he said. “If we don’t have a strong community around us, how are we going to operate?”

Christine Musial started working at Publix when she was 17. Sixteen years later, she appreciates the opportunity to make an impact on the community.

“Part of our mission statement is to be involved as responsible citizens in the community, and we really pride ourselves by embodying that mission,” she said. “Not just with our management, but with all of our associates within the stores.”

Musial said part of what she enjoys is hearing customers express their appreciation for the work they do and seeing the impact it has in the community.

As the only paid employee at Food4Kids, Deconna said she cannot overstate the importance of volunteers, now more than ever.

“We  need more funding than ever before because we’re feeding more students than ever before,” she said.

With the cost of food going up, contributions like Publix’s have become invaluable to local initiatives.