Sunday, Hungry for Change held its food packaging event for Stop Hunger Now.
Secretary Olivia Johnson, a junior, said she joined Hungry for Change after seeing it at the club fair her sophomore year.
“There are many hungry people in Ottawa, Kan., and the world,” Johnson said. “So I want to help, even if I’m only making a small difference.”
Club sponsor Sandra Marlatte said the club started after she and Club President Victoria Gordon, junior, went to the Hunger Dialogue in Kansas and learned about the Universities Fighting World Hunger.
“We felt like we wanted to do something and be a part of Universities Fighting World Hunger and bring awareness to Ottawa,” Marlatte said.
Hungry for Change has been involved in other activities on campus, such as the Ottawa vs. Baker Canned Food Drive that went to benefit locals. The group also wrote letters to Kansas senators about hunger.
“Stop Hunger Now is usually the biggest one all year,” Gordon said, “We welcome the faculty, students and community to help us package food.”
Gordon said the food package includes rice, soy and beans, which are sealed and packaged as six meals. Gordon said each meal costs 25 cents.
After everything is packaged, the packages are sent to Stop Hunger Now, where they send the packages to countries needing the food. Marlatte said the food this year will go to a country in Africa.
“When I was able to have this hands-on experience and see that I was making a difference, it made me even more passionate,” Johnson said. “I felt like I was affecting someone’s life across the globe.”
Gordon said she had high expectations for the event.
“I want to raise awareness and package as much as we can,” Gordon said. “I want people to have the experience of knowing the meals they package are going to people who need it.”
Marlatte said she wants to make those who are participating aware of hunger issues.
“A meal to them is not what we understand as a meal,” Marlatte said. “Most of us would not be satisfied with one meal a day of rice. But this is designed for people who are literally starving and don’t know where their next meal is coming from. And we’re providing meals for 20,000 people.”