Volunteers needed by group aiming to pack a million meals

A local initiative working toward packing one million meals for those in need is coming back in April.

One Million Meals Peterborough is a food packing event, bringing community members together to pack nutritious meals. Meals are then given to Kawartha Food Share, First Nation communities and residents of Grand Goave, Haiti.

The goal is to pack one million meals through a series of events while raising awareness of hunger issues locally, nationally and globally.

The project was created through a partnership between Church in the City, local Rotary Clubs and Kids Against Hunger Canada.

The inaugural event kicked off last year, creating nearly 140,000 meals.

When million meal goal gets reached, 25 per cent will have gone KFS and First Nation communities in Nunavut and northern Ontario and Quebec, and 50 per cent will have gone to Grand Goave.

The year’s packing event is happening April 1 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Sport And Wellness Centre on Brealey Drive.

Fred Mandryk is the event planner for One Million Meals Peterborough.

Packing and sending one million meals is a target that’s never been met before in Canada, he said.

“The idea was that let’s assemble as many people as we can, raise as much money as we can and try and pack a million meals,” Mandryk said.

Because completing the entire project in one event seemed out of reach, Mandryk said organizers decided to break it up into a series of events.

Funds in support of the project come from the local Rotary Clubs, sponsors and donations.

To get the job done, organizers look to the community, youth specifically, to register teams to raise some money and pack the goods.

Packages will include long-grain rice, crushed soy, a blend of dehydrated vegetables and vitamin and mineral water.

Teams of 15 to 20 work in shifts and each person needs to raise or contribute $30. People will be added to teams if they’re on their own or sign up smaller groups.

To register for a shift or to become a sponsor, go to www. onemillionmealspeterborough. com