Church packs 20 000 meals in two hours to stop hunger
Around 130 volunteers came together to pack food to be distributed by Stop Hunger Now SA
THE Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kempton Park partnered with Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa (SHN SA) Gauteng branch, in packaging 20 000 meals in two hours on Saturday, April 2.
SHN SA is a volunteer-based meal-packaging and results-oriented nutrition programme that was started in South Africa in 2009.
Brian Nell from SHN SA said the meals packed by the Mormon Church volunteers would feed 77 children, five meals a week for a year.
“Once they’re packed we’ll then distribute to our beneficiaries, who are children, specifically those who attend pre-schools, or Early Childhood Development (ECD) around the Gauteng area,” explained Nell.
Nell pointed out that the City of Joburg sponsored the ingredients in the meal packs and had mandated the organisation to pack 160 000 meals a month.
The meals comprise rice, soya, dehydrated vegetable mix and a fortification pack of 23 essential minerals and vitamins specifically formulated to combat malnutrition (complying with the UNICEF standard).
Marilyn Nhlapo, who is the stake public affairs director of the church’s Helping Hands department, pointed out that service and charity work are at the centre of the church activities.
“Today we have our Kempton Park and Birch Acres wards present. There are around 130 people giving of their hands and playing a role in eradicating hunger,” explained Nhlapo.
“We have realised that welfare is a great concern. It becomes difficult to preach the gospel to a person on an empty stomach. We want to offer our hands where they can bring change and make a difference,” she said.
Nhlapo explained that SHN SA needed hands and as a church they saw an opportunity to provide a service to the community.
The Mormon Helping Hands is also involved in other outreach programmes around the community.
“On March 5 our two wards in Centurion packed 20 000 meal packs in one hour and 30 minutes and on May 7, our Tembisa wards will also get an opportunity to become involved.”
Nell said SHN SA was in need of volunteers to pack meals and anyone interested should contact them through their website, www.stophungernowsa.org.
