Compiled by Eva Metz, metzeva@grinnell.edu

On Sunday, February 10, volunteers for Kids Against Hunger (KAH) prepared meal packages at St. Mary’s Church in their quest to combat hunger. KAH is an international organization with over 100 satellite groups. The organization seeks to provide nutritious meals to starving and malnourished children and families around the world, helping them move towards self-sufficiency.

The Grinnell branch of KAH holds two packaging events each semester. Teams of volunteers form assembly lines, scooping, bagging, weighing and sealing packages of vitamin-fortified soy-rice casserole with remarkable efficiency. Each package includes dried soy, rice, vegetables and protein for a meal that maximizes nutritional value and minimizes cost.

“Most of the food goes to South America or places in need. Some of it stays in Grinnell,” said Andrew Platt ’13.

Platt, Claire Tseng ’14 and Steven Petritis ’15 serve as student leaders of the organization. They petition for funding, organize volunteers and plan packing events. Sunday’s event had enough volunteers and funding for three teams of packers instead of the usual two, and they finished packaging the food in only half an hour.

Most of the volunteers at this packaging event were members of the baseball team, the softball team or the International Student Organization, but all volunteers are welcome. The next KAH packing event will be held in April.

“I think it’s a great way for people to help out without committing a whole lot of time or a whole lot of money,” Platt said. “Everyone has a really good time.”