"Living United" is more than a slogan for the United Way of Hall County; it has become a rallying cry of sorts for its partner agencies.

The executive directors of several of the agencies came together Wednesday to treat the youth in a local summer camp to lunch.

"The community does a lot for us, so we wanted to something as individuals for the community," said Julie Butler, Gateway Domestic Violence Center executive director.

Representatives from several agencies including the American Red Cross, Alliance for Literacy and the Boys and Girls Club showed up at the Greater Manger Community Outreach Center on Cooley Drive in Gainesville to lend a helping hand.

For lunch, the group brought sub sandwiches loaded with vegetables, fresh fruit, trail mix and baked chips. The goal of the meal was to not only fill stomachs, but to also show the kids healthy eating options.

The meal coincides with regular programs that the center already offers.

"Every Saturday, we have someone come in to offer healthy cooking classes," said Tim Jackson, the center’s director. "We also teach the kids about alternative snacks that are better for them."

The community center was built in 2006 as a way to help revitalize the neighboring community, Jackson says.

"We do a lot of different things here in the community. Besides the cooking classes, we also have a reading program. We do things like take the kids and their parents fishing. It’s a way for the families to have positive interaction time," said Jackson. "This is the first year that we’ve had the summer camp. We wanted to start the camp so that some of the low-income children in the community would have something positive to do this summer."

Lunch wasn’t the only activity on the menu. The agency directors also helped camp attendees make cards that will be mailed to deployed soldiers.

"We’re ‘living united’ by helping out at the center today, but we also wanted to do something that would let the kids live united too," said Jocelyn Pryor, executive director of The Guest House.

"We wanted an activity that would be fun, but that would also let the kids have a chance to give back to others."