NORTH ANDOVER — Volunteers formed an assembly line of helping hands at three long tables in the campus center at Merrimack College.

Hair nets covered their heads and beards. Plastic gloves were pulled tight. They scooped rice, beans, and dried vegetables into plastic bags that were weighed and sealed.

“This is my favorite job,’’ said freshman Sam Tankel, 19, of Andover, as he sealed a bag with a hand presser. “I’ve done a lot of them today.’’

Feed Your Neighbor, an interfaith food-packing project, drew about 250 volunteers from 21 Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faith communities to the Catholic college in North Andover on a winter afternoon.

“To help the poor is part of the teaching of all three traditions,’’ said Joseph Kelley, director of the Center for the Study of Jewish-Christian-Muslim Relations at Merrimack, which organized the project. “We’re just all following our traditions together.’’

In just three hours, the group packed 15,000 meals that were donated to the Merrimack Valley Food Bank in Lowell, a nonprofit that provides food assistance across the region.

“Hunger is a common denominator in all religions,’’ said Husein Rokadia, 38, a Muslim from Saudi Arabia who worships at Anjuman-e-Ezzi Boston, a mosque in Billerica. “Fighting hunger is something we all support.’’

The Interfaith Alliance at Merrimack College, a student group, helped to organize and run the project. Members exchanged high-fives and fist-bumps as they completed their one-hour shift.

“We all really care about the world we live in,’’ said Tankel, who is Jewish and worships at Temple Emanuel in Andover.

“Seeing people come together, no matter our faith, that’s what makes this really special,’’ said Danya Ali, 22, a Muslim from Saudi Arabia who is vice president of the alliance.

The Rev. Raymond Dlugos, the vice president for mission and student affairs at Merrimack, challenged volunteers to focus on their shared love of faith.

“The diversity of gifts that are present in this room come from your traditions and backgrounds,’’ Dlugos said as he welcomed the final shift of workers. “If you could, I ask you to think pretty seriously about one of the most difficult questions human beings struggle with: That is, ‘How are we alike?’’’

The answers were written on sticky notes displayed on easels.

“I am a . . . Jew . . . Catholic . . . Muslim . . . Lutheran Christian . . . Humanist . . . Spiritual, Not Religious.’’

?“And I serve because . . . We are all God’s children . . . My voice matters . . . We need to work as one and make the world better . . . It connects me with my diverse human family.’’

Most of the volunteers were from Anjuman-e-Ezzi mosque in Billerica, Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, St. Michael Catholic Church in North Andover, and Temple Emanuel in Andover. The Merrimack Valley Jewish Federation provided grant money for the event.

“I really wanted to take part in community service for a long time,’’ said Rokadia, whose daughter Batul, 5, played with toys while he packed meals. “It didn’t matter that I didn’t know anyone. I wanted to help.’’

Anders Eldracher, 20, a Merrimack junior from Tewksbury, described himself as “Roman Catholic in the Augustinian tradition’’ who embraces the simplicity of the religious order that founded Merrimack in 1947.

“There is an emphasis on modesty, in the way we dress, the way we behave, how often we pray,’’ said Eldracher, dressed in blue jeans and a flannel shirt, his beard covered with a hair net.

Providing access to nutritious food for people who otherwise could not afford it is in keeping with the Augustinians’ social justice teachings, he said.

Each 13.8-ounce bag comes ready to boil into a healthy meal.

“All they have to do is add water,’’ Eldracher said. “It’s much better than giving out a box of cereal or macaroni and cheese.’’

The volunteers also filled bins with the raw ingredients and set up the packing stations and equipment. They packed each box with 36 meal bags and loaded them onto a truck for delivery to the food bank.

“I like that it’s very hands-on,’’ said Pam Rogers, a lawyer from North Andover who volunteered on her lunch hour with two other members of Redeemer Lutheran. “It’s good to be actually doing something and not just writing a check.’’

Kay and Jim Foltz of Andover recalled taking part in a similar meals-packing program at Redeemer Lutheran.

“But this one is different,’’ said Kay Foltz, who works as the church organist and choir director. “It’s very special to see so many people of faith here, working together.’’

Kathy McCabe can be reached at Katherine.McCabe@globe. com. Follow her on Twitter @GlobeKMcCabe.