United Methodists Bag Food to Help Stop World Hunger
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Every day, 25,000 people die from hunger and related illnesses. On Monday, hundreds of people packed bags of food. They say it is a small thing they can do to help combat this worldwide problem.
“It’s about helping those who are in need, those who are less fortunate,” volunteer Mark Hardin said.
And you don’t have to travel far to do your part. Stop Hunger Now is an international, non-profit organization that comes to you to help bring food to those who need it most.
“It’s a way for them to get directly involved in doing something because they’re physically assembling the food packets,” Michael Ashley with Stop Hunger Now said.
As part of this year’s South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, more than 100 volunteers made 30,000 mobile meals. It is a scoop of rice, soy flour, dehydrated veggies, and a vitamin packet. Just add boiling water and you have a nutritious meal. Volunteers boxed the meals to be shipped off to school feeding programs in 38 countries across the globe.
“Kids will actually come to school because they want to get the food and as a by product, they’re also learning to read and write and get an education which is ultimately going to transform their situation,” Hardin said.
To break it down, there are six meals in each bag, 36 bags per box. The volunteers will fill 139 boxes packed with the mobile meals to help stop world hunger.
“It feels good because its not enough, but you’re doing something,” Hardin said. “A lot of times people do nothing because they don’t think they can do everything when all they have to do is just do something.”
“It’s a wonderful thing to do something like this and have a part in it,” volunteer Helen Holley said. “Its something that you feel that Jesus would want you to do.”
And all it took was two hours of scooping, measuring, boxing, and celebrating to stop hunger now.
It only costs 25 cents to make each bag. Stop Hunger Now plans to expand its program internationally and open facilities around the world.
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