Fighting hunger one bag at a time




Volunteers fill food bags for Pack Away Hunger on Saturday at Monticello United Methodist Church.The program helps feed the hungry locally and globally. Amy Graham-McCarty/News & Review

Volunteers fill food bags for Pack Away Hunger on Saturday at Monticello United Methodist Church.The program helps feed the hungry locally and globally. Amy Graham-McCarty/News & Review

In Haiti, children lineup for a hot meal cooked in an outside kitchen. The cooks scoop rice mixed with vitamins, minerals, and vegetables out of a metal kettle. For these children, it may be their only meal of the day.

In Monticello, a world away from Haiti, families sit in their cars outside the White County Food Pantry waiting their turn for food to help fill their pantries and their stomachs.

Food insecurity does not discriminate against age, race, or even location. Today, more than ever, the need is great, says Ron Pierce, director of events, ops and logistics for Pack Away Hunger, a non-profit organization dedicate to improving the lives of children and others who suffer from hunger and malnutrition. On Saturday, the organization worked with volunteers from White County to create more than 40,000 meals that will be distributed all over the world, including White County.

According to Pierce, 1-in-7 Hoosiers, or an estimated 1.1 million people, turn to food pantries and meal service programs to feed themselves and their families. Thirty-one percent of Indiana residents who are food insecure do not qualify for federal food assistance, he said. That means they must turn to food banks, churches, and civic organizations to get enough to eat.

A volunteer packs a food bag at the Pack Away Hunger event. Amy Graham-McCarty/News & Review

A volunteer packs a food bag at the Pack Away Hunger event. Amy Graham-McCarty/News & Review

Because of this, programs such as Pack Away Hunger are essential according to Linda Pierce, Pack Away Hunger event manager.

“The volunteers serve an important need locally and globally,” she said. “They are helping to serve their neighbor and people all over the world. I love the fact that we can involve volunteers of any age and ability.”

Saturday, volunteers met at Monticello United Methodist Church to fill bags with a Nutri-Plenty Meal. The bags include rice, soy, vegetables, flavoring, and 21 vitamins and minerals shown to help alleviate and reverse the effects of micronutrient malnutrition in young children, according to a news release. To prepare the meals, recipients need only a pot, boiling water, and a spoon.

Meals packed Saturday will be distributed globally, throughout the State of Indiana, and many will stay in White County.

“There have been a lot of generous and caring people here (packing meals),” said Pastor Brian Beeks of the Monticello United Methodist Church. “This event brings a lot of people together to help. We could not do it by ourselves. It helps to build community, we do it together.”

Churches and organizations that helped to sponsor this year’s Pack Away Hunger event include: Brookston Federated Church, Brookston Lions Club, Buffalo Church of the Brethren, Burnettsville Church of the Brethren, Christ Fellowship Church, Faith Covenant Church of God, First Presbyterian

Church of Monticello, Monticello Christian Church, Rotary Club of Monticello, Monticello United Methodist Church, Reynolds United Methodist Church, Zion Bethel Church, White County United Way and Indiana United Ways with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.

The Pierces have been working with Pack Away Hunger for 9 years and say they continue to be encouraged by the volunteers and their willingness to give to others.

“We get to help other people, and that is important,” Ron said. “You can’t earn a place in Heaven, but out of the joy of His forgiveness we do things out of the fullness of our hearts.”

For more information on Pack Away Hunger, visit packawayhunger.org.

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