LAKEFIELD - It has been more than 10 years since Food for Kidz first came to Lakefield, and the effort is still going strong. The city’s 11th packaging event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Immanuel Activity Center.
Based in Stewart, Food for Kidz has a mission to “bring awareness to hunger issues in the world by involving others in the participation of packing a nutritional meal supplement for distribution and also involve them in sustainability building to facilitate change; to expand the concept of children’s experiences beyond their vision of local to incorporate the world; and to service, promote and educate other organizations to encourage their commitment for the purpose of making positive results in the fight against hunger.”
During a Food for Kidz event, a specially formulated mixture of protein, rice, vegetables and seasonings is packaged to be sent to impoverished and war-torn areas of the world where hunger is an everyday issue. Each food package contains six meals, which can be prepared by boiling the contents in water. This simple food mixture can reverse the starvation process, help restore health and improve a child’s mental and physical alertness.
“It’s over 1 million meals now that we’ve bagged,” said Carol Wilson, who coordinates the Lakefield effort every year.
To ensure another successful event, both volunteers and donations are needed. A goal of $18,000 has been set in order to package 100,000 meals.
“We are a ways from that,” reported Wilson. “But people are generous - they like to help out.”
Donations can be sent to Carol Wilson, Food for Kidz, Box 326, Lakefield 56150.
As far as volunteering, Wilson said people can just show up from noon to 5 p.m. Friday or 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, or they can register in advance on the Food for Kidz - Jackson County, MN Facebook page.
“If they come for an hour that’s fine; if they come for three hours, that’s fine,” said Wilson. “The most fun is when it’s families that come and just get excited about helping, doing something together. But those who are alone can also come and meet new friends, sit at the table, do the work, laugh at things that happen, have good discussions.
“If you can’t stand, there are jobs you can sit at. We will find a place you will be capable of handling,” she added.
If any large groups are interested in volunteering, advance notification is appreciated.
Wilson sees the Food for Kidz event as an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of less fortunate people living far from southwest Minnesota.
“You don’t know where in the world you’re going to help somebody out, and to me that’s just awesome,” she said. “You’re helping someone half a world away, and that’s what keeps it going.”
For more information, contact Wilson, (507) 840-1217.
