THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008

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Feeding Families

Mt. Prospect Church Volunteers Work To Prepare 430,000 Meals For Less Fortunate

Less fortunate individuals throughout the world will eat better in the near future after approximately 2,000 volunteers recently helped members and staff from St. Mark Lutheran Church in Mt. Prospect package individual meals to be sent to "starving" people in Haiti, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia and Peru.

"The five day event was great, and we surpassed our goal," said St. Mark's Youth and Family Coordinator Cindy Decker.

Before the event, Decker said the congregation's goal was to have 1,500 volunteers age nine and older pack 400,000 meals in five days. According to Decker, 1,965 volunteers, made up of members from nearby churches, boy and girl scouts, school groups, other children and senior citizens all assisted in packing 432,216 meals.

Volunteers worked in two-hour shifts from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Apr. 16-19; and 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Apr. 20. Decker said 150 individuals were working together in two-hour stints.

St. Mark partnered with the "Feed My Starving Children" (FMSC) organization to pack meals developed by food scientists. The meals were made from rice, soy, vitamins, and dehydrated vegetables. The food will be shipped to help feed malnourished children, Decker said.

This was the first time the church participated in this type of event. Decker said FMSC is currently looking into finding a warehouse in Mt. Prospect by the end of the year to operate events like this. Decker said either way, the church plans to participate in this event again next year.

"I want to thank everyone who helped out and for their support. It was incredible," said Decker.

FMSC was founded as a Christian nonprofit organization in 1987 through the efforts of a Minnesota businessman. ---Richard Mayer