Over 3,500 volunteers, including students and community members, will pack more than 800,000 meals for Feed My Starving Children this week. InkFreeNews photos by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Local students, businesses and community members alike are volunteering this week to give back to the world by packing meals for malnourished children.

The sixth Warsaw MobilePack event, through Feed My Starving Children, began on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and continues through Friday, Oct. 14, at the Warsaw Community High School Tiger Recreation and Activity Center.

FMSC is a Christian non-profit organization founded in 1987, dedicated to seeing every child whole in body and spirit.

Over 3,500 volunteers this week will pack more than 800,000 meals, which will be distributed to children in need.

Volunteers signed up for shifts to scoop, measure, weigh, seal, label and box ingredients for MannaPacks, which contain vitamins, vegetables, soy and rice. These meals are developed by food science and nutrition professionals to supplement nutritional needs and reduce problems with malnutrition.

Abby Jurewicz began working for FMSC in July 2021.

“I’ve loved it, it’s wonderful,” said Jurewicz. “I love getting to travel to all the different areas. So many communities get excited about raising money and coming out and packing…it’s just amazing to go in and see their joy for the program.”

Jurewicz said FMSC serves more than 90 different countries with MannaPacks.

“Getting this food out to people who need it the most and hearing how big of an impact it’s had, it feels amazing and is great to hear,” said Jurewicz. “It also makes a big impact (on the communities who host MobilePack events.)”

Lakeview Middle School students and staff recently raised more than $12,000 to support FMSC through a Phone-a-Thon event.

Megan Stone, community chairperson for Warsaw’s MobilePack event, has been involved with the program since 2014. Stone said her involvement first began in 2007 when she and her family packed meals at a permanent FMSC site in Minneapolis, Minn.

“Every donation, whether small or large, makes an impact,” said Stone.

Sponsors for this year’s event include Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw Community Schools, DePuy Synthes, SYM Financial Advisors, Silveus Insurance Group, Paragon Medical, Kathy Hamman with RE/MAX Results, Anika, Wildman, Tecomet, First United Methodist Church – Bourbon, Our House Real Estate, G&G Hauling and Excavating, Jasmine Gabriel Schlitt DDS, Miller Cattle Company, Julia Moore & The Bailey Moore Foundation, North Winona Church of the Brethren, PayProtec, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, and Crouse Body Shop.

Those interested in donating to or volunteering for future FMSC MobilePack events can visit their website.