News Release – St. Paul Presbyterian Hosts Meals from the Heartland Packaging Event

 St. Paul Presbyterian Church invites Johnston residents and surrounding communities to a one-day meal-packaging event for Meals from the Heartland. The church has set a goal of producing 130,000 meals for the world’s hungry at the event.

The packaging will take place at St. Paul Presbyterian on November 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Teams of 8-10 people will register for one-hour shifts. Teams will raise the funds to sponsor their shift, approximately $400 for cost of a team’s meal ingredients. Pre-registration is required.

Donations from individuals, businesses, churches and community organizations are also needed to purchase ingredients, packaging and transportation. Volunteers are needed to staff the event.

To volunteer or donate, visit the website: www.stpaul-johnston.com  and click on the Meals from the Heartland link, or contact Annie Temple at 270-1871 or atemple@q.com.  If you would like to volunteer to help staff the event on Saturday, please contact Annie.

Meals from the Heartland is a non-profit organization composed of volunteers who package meals for delivery to starving people around the world as well as right here in Central Iowa and elsewhere in the United States. Since 2008, Meals from the Heartland has provided more than 28 million meals to the hungry in Iowa and around the world.  Johnston Partnership for a Healthy Community, who runs the local food bank, distributes Meals from the Heartland bags to those in need.

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Registration Open for North Central Iowa Hunger Fight!

Did you miss our Annual Hunger Fight or are you just ready to get back into the ring? Join our North Central Iowa Hunger Fight!

• Date:  November 9-10, 2012
• Volunteer:  You must sign up for  a shift. Register here for meal packaging shift times. To help as a host, register here.
• Location:  United Community School, 1284 U Avenue Boone, IA 50036

5.1 Million Meals Packaged!

YOU DID IT! In just four days, you packaged a Meals from the Heartland record-breaking 5,122,008 meals for the world’s hungry! With giving hearts, more than 15,000 volunteers of all ages filled Hy-Vee Hall and worked together to fight hunger in Iowa, our country and all over the world. YOU are a hunger fighter!

It is amazing what people can do when they come together with a common goal. Our food distribution partners will now work hard to distribute your meals to people who desperately need them.

Together, we are moving closer to our goal of making Iowa the Hunger Fighting Capital of the World!

THANK YOU!

Don’t Stop – Keep Fighting

Unfortunately, hunger is a vicious opponent. We can’t stop fighting. Meals from the Heartland hunger fighters have created a demand for year-around packaging opportunities – and we have them! Businesses, churches, schools and organizations of all kinds are encouraged to consider hosting a Mobile Hunger Fight at any time. To find out more about hosting an event, visit our website.

You can also fight hunger any day at any time by donating! We can’t express how thankful we are for our sponsors and the individual donations we’ve received so far. Meals from the Heartland depends on monetary and in-kind donations to package and distribute meals. If you haven’t already, please consider donating. The more funding we have, the more meals we are able to provide!

Keep Up With Us on Facebook!

We love Facebook! Please visit us and “Like” our Facebook page to stay updated on our events and where our meals go. Show your pride for volunteerism by “sharing” our “I Saved Lives” badge on your own Facebook page.

You can also visit the latest news section of our website to keep up-to-date on all things Meals from the Heartland.

If you have any questions, please send an email to contact@mealsfromtheheartland.org..

Day 1 – 1.3 Million Meals Packaged!

Congratulations! In just our first day of packaging meals, you packaged more than you have ever packaged in a single day – 1,340,064 meals for Iowa’s and the world’s hungry!

The day started off strong with an enthusiastic shift of volunteers. Throughout the day we saw almost 4,000 volunteers come through Hy-Vee Hall, including Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. Secretary Northey took the time to address the volunteers, offering support and encouragement for the difference they were making in world hunger.

By 5 p.m., Hy-Vee Hall started to feel another round of amazing energy when local high school students began filing through the doors. The DuPont Pioneer Student Challenge welcomed more than 1,100 students to enjoy music and food while learning about world hunger and volunteerism. The students packaged more than 400,000 meals from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Way to go Iowa youth!

Shifts Still Available

We’re seeing a lot of comments on Facebook about how much fun people are having and how great it feels to be saving lives – we agree! So come on back! There are still volunteer shifts available, as well as shifts for Hosts, Dock Workers and Table Supervisors. Have a friend who wishes they would have joined you? Sign up for shifts together and introduce them to a great experience with Meals from the Heartland!

Donations Still Needed

We can’t express how thankful we are for our sponsors and the individual donations we’ve received so far. Meals from the Heartland depends on monetary and in-kind donations to package and distribute meals. If you haven’t already, please consider donating. The more funding we have, the more meals we are able to provide!

Keep Up With Us on Facebook!

We are working hard to keep everyone updated on the event through our Facebook page and Twitter (@MftH). Check out pictures of our volunteers and special guests, and show your pride for volunteerism by “sharing” our “I Saved Lives” badge on your own Facebook page.

If you have any questions, please send an email to contact@mealsfromtheheartland.org or visit our information booth at the Annual Hunger Fight near the exit.

Isaiah 58:10 “Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”

We can’t wait to see you and thousands of your fellow hunger fighters working together to package 5 million meals in just four days! Here are some helpful tips for your shift.

New entrance! Now that construction is over, we’re moving the entrance back to the North Entrance of Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center (formerly Vets Auditorium). You can park for free in the north parking lot or south of Hy-Vee Hall. Find directions and more information about where to park at the Iowa Events Center website.

Suit up! Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and please remember to leave personal items at home or in your locked car as there is no storage space for personal items. MftH is not responsible for any lost or stolen items during the event. Remember, you will be required to wear a hair net so plan accordingly!

Donate! If you have not already, please consider making a monetary donation to Meals from the Heartland. You can do this online or by bringing cash, a check or credit/debit card to the Annual Hunger Fight. All of our raw food materials must be purchased in order to be packaged. Each volunteer typically packages $30 worth of raw materials in a one-hour shift.

Move the food! Please consider bringing non-perishable food items and fresh produce donations for one of our local food bank partners, DMARC. They will be collecting donations throughout the event.

Meals Gear! Bring cash, checks or credit/debit cards if you’re interested in purchasing MealsGear! Remember, 100% of the profit for MealsGear goes back to the organization for additional food. You can see all of the MealsGear items in our online store. At the event you can also buy t-shirts made to order!

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for offering your time to help us package Meals from the Heartland food for the hungry. Without our 15,000 volunteers this week, our 5 million meal goal would not be possible.

If you have any questions before the event, please send an email to contact@mealsfromtheheartland.org. During the event, be sure to visit our information booth for specific questions about Meals from the Heartland.