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Church members take stand against hunger

Regan Hill photo

Steve Mulrey assembles boxes at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in preparation for the high protein, dehydrated meals ready to be packaged for the Stop The Hunger program.

By Megan Sprague | Lake Norman Navigator

Published: May 17, 2009

Hungry children in Haiti and El Salvador will enjoy a nutritious meal thanks to the efforts of volunteers who gathered Saturday morning at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Statesville.

The effort, coordinated through Stop Hunger Now and the Charlotte chapter of Operation Sharehouse, produced 10,000 meals at a cost of only $2,500.

The high-protein, dehydrated meals consist of a rice-soy mixture that includes vegetables, chicken flavoring, salt and vitamins. Each package contains six servings and only needs boiling water to prepare.

"Our goal in this project is two-fold," project coordinator Mickey Horner said. "The people we package food for don't make enough money and cannot provide for their own basic needs. We are able to feed them with what we make here and build awareness and end apathy. We want participants to spread the word and become engaged in the global fight against hunger."

The program has been up and running for 2½ years. During that time, volunteers have made more than 14 million meals that have been distributed all around the world, Horner said.

Operation Sharehouse has about 50 to 60 events throughout the Lake Norman area each month.

"We provide all of the supplies, guide the volunteers with parameters and the smallest amount we package at these events is 10,000 meals, so that takes about two hours," he explained. "It's all about teamwork and accomplishing the goal."

Maxine Middlesworth said the church decided on the project after no one applied for a mission trip.
"We believe in doing anything that can help others in the world," she said. "That's what being a Christian is all about."

Volunteer Steve Mulrey spent part of the morning opening bags of rice and vitamin tablets to prepare for the assembly line work.

"It's great that we can bring awareness to the church and it makes us think of things bigger than ourselves and broadens our horizons," he said.

Edie Ptacek, also a church member, was on hand as well to help make the packaged food.

"It's a good cause and I'm always willing to do volunteer work," she said. "I found out about it in the church newsletter and I was immediately on board. As long as it's for kids, I'm in."