Volunteers at a previous event package Meals from the Heartland
A volunteer effort billed as “the nation’s largest food packaging event” kicks-off today in the state’s capital city.
Susan Bunz, executive director of Meals from the Heartland, says thousands of Iowans from schools, churches, businesses and other organizations will work in two-hour shifts placing several ingredients in bags to create meals that’ll be distributed to starving children and families around the world.
“Our hope is to package 5 million of those meals during this four-day event,” Bunz said. Organizers of the event are still seeking out more volunteers. “That’s in a variety of capacities. It’s packaging, it’s floor volunteers…so, it takes about 15,000 people to package 5 million meals,” Bunz said.
The meals created in Iowa today through Saturday will also go to local food banks and pantries. This marks the 8th year for the “hunger fight” taking place at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.