BlueCross BlueShield teams with Duke, NC State and UNC to deliver more than 2,000 meals

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A Saturday in February means a Saturday off for most football coaches but not for NC State's Dave Doeren.

"It was an opportunity to be in the community here in Southeast Raleigh and be a part of this beautiful campus," Doeren said.

Doeren along with Athletic Director Boo Corrigan and former Wolfpack basketball player Derrick Whittenburg helped hand out 300 meals at the YMCA of the Triangle-Southeast to help those suffering from food insecurity.

"There's a lot of people out of work," Doeren said. "There's people that are struggling in a lot of ways. Just to be able to do something nice for people in the community I think goes a long way in this tough time."

"We're part of the Raleigh community and I think that's more important than anything else," said Corrigan. "The Southeast Raleigh project, YMCA, BlueCross BlueShield, everyone comes together to do the most right thing. We're a part of the community. We want to be a part of this community and we're going to be here for a long time."

This mission is a part of a bigger collaboration. During the 2021 college basketball season, NC State, Duke and Carolina athletic departments are teaming up with BlueCross and BlueShield of North Carolina to help deliver over 2,000 meals to those in need in the Triangle-area.

"Just to see the cars wrapped around the YMCA it just warms your heart knowing we're out here for a good cause," said Reagan Greene Pruitt, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement for BlueCross BlueShield NC. "We're out here for a common cause and to see coach Doeren and Boo and Derrick Whittenburg all out here for a good cause it's inspiring and to see these cars, families and kids see their faces light up."

North Carolina is one of the top-10 hungriest states in the country and Corrigan says a day like today puts that into perspective.

"What it does more than anything else is it puts a face to what you're doing," said Corrigan. "You can talk about numbers and you can talk about people that are food insecurities but when you see someone in a car and little kids in a car it hits home."

"There is no finish line,"Corrigan said. "Now it's what else can we do and how else can we help."

UNC and Blue Cross NC will distribute meals during PORCH's monthly fresh produce distribution on February 15.

Duke University will team up with Blue Cross NC to distribute meals with Durham Children's Initiative (DCI) on February 18.