Contact: Allison Matthews
Photo by: Russ Houston
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State students volunteered Friday [Oct. 17] to pack 10,000 meals fortified with essential nutrients to combat malnutrition and aid in the fight against hunger.
"Ending hunger in our lifetime is not something that is far-fetched fantasy," said Matt Casteel of the Stop Hunger Now international hunger relief organization. Casteel directed the volunteer efforts of the students, many of whom are enrolled in sections of the True Maroon class, one of the First Year Experience courses.
As part of the class, True Maroon freshmen not only learn about MSU traditions and academic resources as they transition into college life, but they also learn about global issues and how they can make a difference.
This semester, faculty from MSU's food science, nutrition and health promotion department have educated the True Maroon classes about food insecurity and hunger issues both in Mississippi and around the globe.
"I'm really enjoying this project because I didn't realize how many people in the world are hungry, and I think it's a great thing that MSU and Stop Hunger Now are raising awareness and providing food for those in need," said freshman Gerard Henderson of Augusta, Georgia.
Henderson said he appreciates that the course includes a service learning component. The class, taught exclusively by Grisham Master Teachers, has been invaluable for helping him feel more comfortable as he adjusts to college life at MSU and being away from home for the first time.
"It's my favorite class," he added.
Jerry Gilbert, MSU provost and executive vice president, said pursuing solutions to world hunger is a research and outreach priority for the university, as well as an educational priority.
"We want students to understand issues that impact the whole globe. This is one of the major issues of this century, and we want our students to know about it and be part of solving the problem," Gilbert said.
April Heiselt, director of the Center for the Advancement of Service Learning Excellence, said the opportunity for students to experience being part of a solution in the fight against hunger is a meaningful community service tied to academic course objectives.
"They are not just doing a community service project--they've actually learned about this issue and how it relates to our state and the world," she said.
At a cost of 29 cents per meal and a shelf life of 2-5 years, thousands of packages will be distributed through school feeding programs, vocational schools, early childhood education centers, medical clinics and orphanages in high-need areas around the world.
The mildly flavored meals include a combination of rice, dehydrated soybeans and other vegetables, as well as 23 vitamins and minerals. Recipients in different countries usually season the base foods to taste by adding local fresh produce and other ingredients to please their own cultural tastes. In Haiti, red beans and black beans are frequently used, while in Nicaragua, plantains are a popular ingredient. In India, recipients usually add local spices.
For more about Stop Hunger Now, visit www.stophungernow.org. For more about Mississippi State, visit www.msstate.edu.