On Friday and Saturday, March 31 and April 1, once again, the cafeteria at Wyneken Memorial Lutheran School, 11565 N US Highway 27, Decatur, Indiana, will be full of activity: as we plan to pack 60,000 meals, at our annual event, to benefit the Pack Away Hunger campaign.
Pack Away Hunger is a nonprofit organization offering a meal with superior nutrition. The Nutri-Plenty™ meal contains Mathile M+ Micronutrients™, a scientifically-proven blend of 21 vitamins and minerals shown to help alleviate and also reverse the effects of micronutrient malnutrition in young children. The Nutri-Plenty™ meal also contains a healthy mixture of rice, soy, vegetables and flavorings, which is easy to prepare, requiring only a pot, boiling water and a spoon. This meal remains easy and safe to transport, and culturally acceptable worldwide. If you would like to know more about this non-for-profit organization, you can go to their website, www.packawayhunger.org.
Seventy-five percent (75%) of the meals packed will remain in Adams, Wells, and Allen Counties. We have several food pantries in the community that have expressed interest in receiving the meals, as well as, after school back pack programs. The remaining twenty-five percent (25%) will be distributed internationally to the country of Haiti through an international partner network. The need for these meals is just as great now as it has been in past years. If you are interested in donating funds to help offset the $16,200 needed to make our goal, please make your check payable to Pack Away Hunger and mail it to: Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Friedheim, Attn: Pack Away Hunger, 10653 North 550 West, Decatur, IN 46733. Checks should be mailed no later than Friday, March 10th.
On Friday, March 31st, we will have student volunteers, from several local elementary schools, working in fellowship together during the day to pack meals to benefit others in their communities; students participating in this volunteer effort are from St. John-Emmanuel Lutheran School, Monroeville, Central Lutheran School, New Haven, Emmaus Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, and Wyneken Lutheran School, Decatur.
On Saturday, April 1st, we will need 230 volunteers for our packing that day. The morning shift will be from 9:00–11:30am and the afternoon shift will be from 1:00—3:30pm. If you belong to an organization or club, (such as National Honor Society or 4-H), that encourages community service hours, this event is the place for you! We will be providing forms to record your volunteer hours for those who need them. This event is also a wonderful opportunity for parents, (and grandparents), to volunteer with their children and to work on a project together. Once again, we will be visited by some special guests, during the afternoon shift (1:00—3:30pm). In the past two years, the we had special guest “princesses” visiting during the afternoon shift of our packing event to meet with our young volunteers and for picture opportunities. Whether you are 8 or 80 or somewhere in between, there is a job for you! If you would be willing to volunteer, please contact Dawn Buuck by email at zionfrdhm.pahunger@gmail.com or by telephone at 260-724-7952, by Saturday, March 24th. For updates and additional information, please check out our Decatur Pack Away Hunger Facebook Page.
