Greater Plymouth Service Project Wants You To Feed Children in Need
By Logan Tesmer, CBS 62/CW50 Intern
If you want to help feed children who are hungry or in need, the 2018 Greater Plymouth Service Project is looking for volunteers for their food packaging event to benefit the "Kids Coalition Against Hunger" (KCAH). Volunteers will be packaging food on May 12th from 8am-3pm at the Plymouth Arts and Recreation Complex in Downtown Plymouth.
"The goal is to recruit 1,550 volunteers," says Doug Wallace of Plymouth Township, the membership director for the Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce. "All ages are welcome."
Volunteers are needed to package more than 500,000 meals that are planned. The event benefits several organizations as they help supply children with the essential food they need in life.
All of the packaged meals are distributed to three different sources. One-third of the meals goes to local communities and various food pantries such as food banks, soup kitchens, and backpack programs at schools. The next third is distributed to over 18 countries that "Kids Coalition Against Hunger" supports. The last third goes to and is stored in the KCAH Michigan Warehouse for disaster relief support.
"Our mission is to significantly reduce the number of hungry children in the USA and feed starving children throughout the world," says Nick Schultz, Chairman of the event. "We accomplish this by delivering a highly nutritious meal that was developed by food scientists to provide a rich source of easily digestible protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins needed by an undernourished child's body and mind."
Here's a list of organizations that have helped raise money for this year's meals:
-Local Service Clubs, such as Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions.
-The Churches of NorthRidge and Our Lady of Good Counsel.
-The Chamber of Commerce.
-The Community Foundation.
-Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex.
-Many local businesses.
-Private Citizens, like The George & Mary Smith Family, who donated $10,000 paying for 35,714 meals.
If you want to or know someone who would like to volunteer or donate, sign up at cfplymouth.org/may12 or call (734) 453-1540. You can see an overview video of last year's event here.
Logan Tesmer is a graduate of Specs Howard School of Media Arts, pursuing a career in media production.
