Feeding Our Fellow Family

Falls Church and Fairfax County are among the wealthiest parts of our nation. Even though poverty and misfortune certainly exist here, it is not common for people here in the U.S. to die of starvation.

This is not to the case in many third, fourth, and fifth world nations. Around the globe, nearly 795 million people lack adequate food, one in nine people go to bed hungry every night, and hunger kills more people each year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, according to The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015.

Hunger and inadequate nutrition are particularly difficult for children who are developing mentally and physically. More than 3 million children die from hunger each year (The Lancet). For those who survive, hunger and poor nutrition can stunt growth and impede learning. With so much time being spent simply surviving, many people don’t ever the opportunity to thrive.

The task of feeding the world’s poor can seem daunting. Every effort counts. That’s why Christ Crossman UMC is joining forces with Stop Hunger Now to host a meal packaging event called “Falls Church Feeds the World.”

Stop Hunger Now is a respected nonprofit that distributes meals through feeding programs in developing countries to promote education, improve students’ health and nutrition, stimulate economic growth, and more. The organization has delivered aid and disaster relief supplies in the form of food, medical supplies, clothing, school supplies and more to thousands of disaster victims and other hungry and vulnerable people in 73 countries.

For the June 5th “Falls Church Feeds the World” event, Christ Crossman needs volunteers from throughout the community to help them create 20,000 meals in one afternoon at its church that will be packed and shipped worldwide. The event enables adults and even kids four and up a chance to participate. Everyone has a role in making and packaging nutritiously sound meals, made from dehydrated rice and soy and fortified with 23 essential vitamins and nutrients. Research shows that 1 in 3 people in developing countries are adversely affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies so these meals make sense.

Hunger is a serious issue and this volunteer event--which includes educational activities for children--will engage the community in a meaningful event to help end hunger. By opening its doors to the whole community, “Falls Church Feeds the World” can make a difference for the global community simply by feeding a fellow family. To learn more about volunteering, visit www.FallschurchFeedsTheWorld.org or call 703-532-4026.