Residents invited to package meals for worldwide distribution

by Sue Serdinak

Residents of the Revere Local School district are invited to come together in April and package food for worldwide distribution.

Richfield Village Mayor Mike Wheeler has been collaborating with the nonprofit Rise Against Hunger to organize a group to make 100,000 meal packages to send to people in need around the world. Wheeler said he was inspired by Ramesh Shah of the Jain Temple in Richfield to organize the event after Shah organized such an event in 2022.

Volunteers will work in the gym of Revere High School on April 15 to make packages that contain dried food items, vitamins and minerals.

In an assembly line, the volunteers will prepare a bag, fill the bag with dried food, seal it, box the bags and prepare the boxes for shipment. Rise Against Hunger provides all of the food and supplies and handles the shipping.

Richfield, as the host organization, pays $.38 to Rise Against Hunger per individual bag of food. Wheeler said he is ordering 100,000 meals at a total cost of $38,000, and hoping he can get 300 people to help pack the bags.  He said that he has commitments from local organizations and individuals to help pay for the meal packets.

He also has commitments from Revere Schools, the Jain Society, the Sree Venkateswara Hindu Temple, the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Bath-Richfield Kiwanis, Richfield United Church of Christ, Group Management Services and Pietros Homes to provide volunteers to work on packing day.  Other groups and individuals are asked to participate.

In addition to organizing the meal packaging events, Rise Against Hunger teaches farming techniques, provides seeds and offers nutritional education in countries around the world.

The meal packaging day will be held on April 15 from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Revere High School on Revere Road. To donate to the purchase of the meal packets or to participate in the packaging assembly line, go to http://events.riseagainsthunger.org/Richfield2023. ∞