Feed the Starving Children underway in Cherry Hill

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (WPVI) -- It's called Feed My Starving Children, and tonight the process is underway to pack up meals for half million people.

At the Cherry Hill Armory, exuberant cheers mean a box is packed with meals. It's also the signal the volunteers are ready to start another one.

Event supervisor Dan Knor said, "It does take everybody to do it. If you had two people in the room trying to do this, it would never happen."

The well-organized operation is part of the mission of Feed My Starving Children, a Minnesota- based nonprofit organization that sends meals to developing countries.

By the end of the weekend, organizers say 2,000 volunteers will pack up 500,000 meals. It's an effort that's grown a lot since 2013.

Chairwoman Gerry Rice said, "It's started off as a small project at my church - First Presbyterian Church in Haddonfield. We packed 100,000 meals and we thought that was really fantastic. And the next year we did more.

Volunteers raise money all year to buy the ingredients, building up to this, the big packaging weekend.

The FDA requires everyone to wear a hair net. Each meal contains rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, and vitamins. The ingredients are scooped into a bag and sealed.

By the end of this shift, organizers say about 63,000 meals will be packaged.

The process will continue in two-hour shifts through Sunday. Volunteers say not only is the atmosphere fun, the work is meaningful.

Roxanne Frederick of Willingboro, NJ said, "We are so privileged here. And there are so many people who are so needy."

Priyanka Thiagarajan of Cherry Hill, NJ said, "It makes me feel happy because I know that I've made an impact on the world."

Sid Curtisso of Society Hill added, "It makes me feel great that I'm doing it."

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