Lifeline Pack-a-Thon to help fight hunger in Haiti
Children's Lifeline President Donald Curtis with the KAH meals that will be packaged on Saturday.
Many of us wonder, from time to time, what could we do to help those less fortunate than ourselves? Just two years ago when Haiti was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, many in the community joined together to help raise money.
A lot of that money went to help Children’s Lifeline Ministries, which is based in Clay City. The ministry takes care of children and families in Haiti and has for many years. They help to feed, educate and provide medical and everyday services to over 7,000 people. They even have a school in Haiti.
Children’s Lifeline President Donald Curtis has personally taken several mission teams from Powell County to Haiti to help there. But many of us cannot make that trip.
So how can we help?
This Saturday the ministry has partnered with Kids Against Hunger to put on a pack-a-thon. Ministry workers, volunteers and the KAH will pack meals to send to Haiti. Their goal is to pack 40,000 meals.
“This is the first time we have partnered up with KAH. They have a group in Louisville now and I know they have helped so many over the years,” Curtis said.
The group was incorporated in 1999 and their international headquarters is in a Minneapolis suburb. They have 98 satellite packing locations in the U.S. and Canada. The food they package has been sent to 62 countries, most of them considered third world nations.
“The meals are rice with soy, which is 52 percent protein and contains 21 vitamins and minerals needed,” Curtis said as he described the packages. “They also have seven vegetables. They are basically miracles, as I have seen them literally save lives. Children who were about to die from hunger have been saved by these meals.”
Curtis knows that some people may never get the chance or be able to actually go to Haiti to help.
“This gives people a chance to help out right here,” he said. “We have 100 volunteers from all over the state coming in to help on Saturday. We can use as many who want to come out and help. It is a way to make a difference and saving lives.”
For those who cannot make it on Saturday, there is a way you can still help. According to KAH the meals cost 25 cents each. One package, which contains six meals, will run about $1.50 and one box which holds 216 meals will cost $54.
“There are so many ways to help and we would love to see more come out to help pack up the meals,” Curtis said.
The pack-a-thon will be held at the Emmanuel Baptist Church this Saturday (July 14) beginning at 9 a.m. If you would like to bring a group, need more information or just want to donate, please call the ministry at (606) 663-3459. You can also email them at lifelinedw@bellsouth.net.