A sea of blue-shirted volunteers smiled while they swayed to the rhythm of dance music as they scooped, measured, sealed and packed thousands of portions of dried pasta inside The Breakers’ Ponce De Leon Ballroom on May 21.
Those volunteers were Breakers employees, who were joined by staff members from the Palm Beach County Food Bank for the Day of 100K Meals packing event.
By the end of the day, the team had blown past the goal and packaged a whopping 104,400 meals, according to the food bank.
Most of those meals will be distributed by the food bank’s 200 partner agencies to feed thousands of Palm Beach County families struggling to find their next meal, CEO Jamie Kendall said.
The meals also will support the food bank’s backpack program, which distributes 5,200 bags of food a week to hungry children, she said.
Speaking to the volunteers before they began packing the pasta meals, Kendall said, “173,000, that’s the number of food insecure individuals in Palm Beach County; 51,000 of those are children — the need (for food) is real.”
The food bank, she said, works “tirelessly to alleviate hunger in our community, one meal at a time.”
In total, 180 Breakers employees volunteered during the day, which was divided into a morning shift and an afternoon shift. They were joined by CEO Paul Leone and members of the resort’s board of trustees, including members of the Kenan family, owners of The Breakers and descendants of Henry Flagler.
Breakers team members filled two shifts of volunteers at the resort to help Palm Beach County Food Bank.
Julia McMahon, the resort’s social impact manager, said it wasn’t hard to find volunteers.
“I didn’t have to do much advertising. I posted it once, and the spots were filled within a week,” she said. “Everyone really likes it and looks forward to it.”
Those volunteers included Community Relations team member Raymond Cheung. He considered the event a great way to help “so many people across the county.”
Cheung was there as a floater, to fill in for anyone needing a break, and admitted his favorite part of the assembly line was sealing the bag.
Breakers team members pack pasta during the May 21 event to support the Palm Beach County Food Bank.
Community Relations team member Josefina Theye, who had a similar role, said she enjoyed the process of emptying the large box that contained the unpackaged pasta.
“They have to cut the box down little by little, because after a while it gets so low you can’t reach the pasta,” she said. “So, it’s always fun to watch them literally break it down and see our progression.”
Yet, as fun as the event is, Theye said the real joy came from giving back to the community.
From left to right: Palm Beach County Food Bank Food Procurement Manager Rosemonde “Rose” Norzea, The Breakers Social Impact Manager Julia McMahon, PBCFB Marketing & Communications Manager Andrea Rendon and PBCFB Director of Programs Liz Cabral, during the 100,000 Meals Pasta Packing Event on May 21.
“It’s reassuring to know that it’s not just about packing something, it was for a purpose,” she said. “That’s what I think really drives us to do this, because it’s purpose driven, and we’re part of a culture here that’s all about making an impact with purpose and intention to improve the community.”
Kendall concurred, noting that “The Breakers are some of our best volunteers” not only because of their help during the packaging event but because “they come over all the time and volunteer with us, over at the warehouse and volunteer space.”
The Breakers Community Relations team member Raymond Cheung, from left, Breakers Revenue Management Director Yilin Sun, CEO Paul Leone, Flagler Club General Manager Jessica Regen and Breakers Rooms Division Director Maureen Feicht, pause for a photo during the meal-packing event at the resort on May 21, 2025.
In a statement following the event, Leone emphasized the resort’s vision of community service:
“At The Breakers, our commitment to service goes far beyond hospitality — it’s about caring for people, both within and beyond our walls. Today, our team, including executives, Board of Directors, and members of the Kenan family, came together with a shared purpose: to help fight hunger in Palm Beach County … This day also launches our Summer of Giving, part of our year-round GIVES program, which encourages every team member to dedicate time to the causes they care about most.
Within one week, employees of The Breakers volunteered to help pack meals in support of Palm Beach County Food Bank.
“This reflects the heart of who we are — a nearly 130-year legacy rooted in generosity, integrity, and community. I couldn’t be more proud of our team and what we can accomplish together.”
For more information about Palm Beach County Food Bank services and volunteering opportunities, visit pbcfoodbank.org.
Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at dlasa@pbdailynews.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Breakers volunteers pack 104,400 meals for Palm Beach County Food Bank