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I didn’t have to think at all to know what I’d post about for today’s Daily Prompt: Together. I was REALLY together this morning. Together with 80 other people who got together to make 20,000 meal packets to feed people at schools, orphanages, and other education oriented sites throughout the world.

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The organization we worked with was Stop Hunger Now. We turned $6,500 into meals for 120,000 folks in Thailand, Viet Nam, and the Philippines.

Stop Hunger Now has been working to end hunger across the globe for 15 years. Established in 1998, it coordinates the distribution of food and other life-saving aid to crisis-burdened areas around the world. This is done through community-supported meal packaging programs through corporations and volunteer service projects like our church.

Stop Hunger Now distributes its meals through feeding programs operated by partner organizations in developing countries which promote education, encourage children to attend school (they strongly believe education is one of the main ingredients needed to stop the cycle of poverty), improve the health and nutrition of students, address gender inequalities, spur economic growth, and combat child labor. In addition to supporting school feeding programs, Stop Hunger Now also provides meals in response to crisis relief.  (see http://www.stophungernow.org/)

And they have this packaging program down pat! The meal packets consist of soy, dehydrated veggies, rice, and a vitamin packet from the Kraft Food Corporation. They are assembled, weighed for consistency, and sealed,  then labeled for customs and packed 36 to a box. When the packets reach their destination, water and local protein are added (according to the country’s customs and tastes), and it’s made into a hearty soup. Each bag makes 6 servings.
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Assembling the meal packets.
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Weighing and sealing the packets.
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Labeled, counted, and packed.
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And that’s pretty much how it works! It took us about 2 1/2 hours to get ‘er done, and we exceeded our expected quantity of 20,000 packets by 80. Yay! It was so much fun. There was loud music playing the whole time. Folks were dancin’ and singin’. I think Bon Jovi took top honors with everyone bellowing out “Living On A Prayer!” And every time we’d hit 1000 bags, a gong would sound and everyone would cheer. After we finished and cleaned up, we all sat down to a meal together.

This is the second time we’ve worked with Stop Hunger Now, and it was every bit as fun and fulfilling the second time around. You just get caught up in a natural high knowing you’re being part of the solution, not part of the problem.

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Lord Drollery (yep he’s under there)

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Brandon (wrestling with his gloves)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Moi! (not dumb enough to get my pix taken with a hair net on!)

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Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
(Helen Keller)

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Picture Credits:
Stop Hunger Now — thedotonline.com
all others — personal