Sussex community event hopes to pack, donate 150,000 meals

It already knows it has the money and manpower to pack 100,000 and is hoping for more donations between now and March 2 to help hit their goal. 

“I am really kind of ecstatic about where we are, even though we probably won’t quite make the 150,000, but that’s OK,” said Mike Hall, one of the organizers. 

program grew out of Grace United Methodist Church in Millsboro. It has held six similar programs in recent years, packing a total of about 100,000 meals. 

Then its mission and outreach teams suggested opening up the event to all of Sussex County, said Hall. 

Now it has about 200 volunteers headed its way and $30,000 in donations to pay for the food and shipping for the first 100,000 meals, he said. 

He’s hopeful that others will step forward with donations in time for him to order the food by Thursday, March 2.

A Rise Against Hunger rep told him that there’s usually a surge of volunteer sign-ups right before the event, which will be held at Sussex Central High School’s cafeteria.

 Hall and the rep visited the school this week to map out where tables should be to create the most efficient packing system.

 The meals cost 39 cents each, Hall said.

 Food and shipping expenses so far have been paid for by donations from the church, Mountaire, Community Bank Delaware, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary, Lewes Rehoboth Beach Rotary, Georgetown Millsboro Rotary, and Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Clubs as well as individual contributors.

 Hall said he’s been told by several people that their organization will be attending and bringing five or six people, but they haven’t signed up yet.

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 There are jobs for all abilities and even some that can be done by children as young as 5, Hall said. Volunteers can sit if they want or need to, he said.

 Volunteers will pack soy, rice, dehydrated vegetables and vitamins in two three-hour shifts — one from 9 a.m. to noon and another from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Sussex Central High School.

 Hall is not sure where the meals will go. In the past they have been sent to Haiti, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Zimbabwe to organizations that Rise Against Hunger has contacts with.

 Most are sent to schools, who can then offer nutrition along with classes, he said.

 Those who are interested in donating or volunteering can go here.

Sussex Center High is at 26026 Patriots Way in Georgetown.

Checks can be made payable to Rise Against Hunger, 108 Darby Commons Court, Folcroft, Pennsylvania 19032.  Include on the memo line that the contribution is for Event No. 57305.