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Marlins Make A Difference Day aims to Package 285,120 Meals
In partnership with the Norfolk District of the United Methodist Church and Stop Hunger Now, this community food-packaging event takes place 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19.
By Megan Z. Shearin | August 31, 2009
Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va. - Virginia Wesleyan College, in partnership with the Norfolk District of the United Methodist Church, will host a food packaging event for Stop Hunger Now on Saturday, Sept. 19, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., in the Convocation Center of the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
Through the Operation Sharehouse program of Stop Hunger Now, more than 800 volunteers will package 285,120 meals, or a shipping container’s worth of highly nutritious dehydrated meals comprised of rice, soy vegetables and a chicken flavored vitamin tablets containing 60% of the RDA of 21 essential vitamins and minerals. Volunteers will also weigh bags, box the items and pack a trailer, which will be sent overseas to education institutions in Yei, Sudan. The meals cost $.025 to create.
"I am excited about bringing the Stop Hunger Now food-packaging event to our campus for several reasons: It’s a chance for our students to be involved with something bigger than themselves; it helps to meet a critical need in the world; and it’s a chance to strengthen our College community,” said Director of Community Service Diane Hotaling. “It’s not often we have a chance to get our campus family together in such large numbers to volunteer—and that we can do it along with our extended church family is something pretty special.”
This community-based event marks Virginia Wesleyan’s Fall Marlins Make A Difference Day, combining education with service to the community and the world and modeled after the National Day of Service in October. For the 50 United Methodist Churches in the Norfolk District, this event is a hands-on mission project in which members of all ages can participate locally, while having an impact globally.
About Stop Hunger Now
Established in 1998, Stop Hunger Now is an international relief organization headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., that coordinates the distribution of food and other life-saving aid around the world. The organization is driven by a vision to end world hunger in our lifetime and a mission to provide food and life-saving aid to the world's most destitute and hungry in the most sustainable, efficient and effective manner.
For more information contact, Clark Mandigo, Coordinator, at 757.858.8080 or cmandigo@stophungernow.org.
Virginia Wesleyan students, faculty and staff who wish to volunteer should contact Diane Hotaling in the Office of Community Service (757.455.3216 or dhotaling@vwu.edu) or your local United Methodist Church.
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