KAH campaign exceeds goal

The Jamestown Kiwanis Club has exceeded its funding goal for its third Kids Against Hunger campaign. All that’s needed now is around 250 volunteers.

Kiwanis wanted to raise $10,000 to match an anonymous $10,000 matching donation. But midway through the campaign another anonymous party donated $10,000.

With the community’s donations the total raised was $30,000 which will allow for 130,000 meals to be packaged.

“We’re so thankful for the generosity of the community and coming together to raise another $30,000 for this wonderful cause,” said Janna Bergstedt, one of the event organizers.

Bergstedt thanked other service clubs in Jamestown, the Rotary, Sertoma, the American Association of University Women and the Lions Club, for their help.

She also said numerous churches helped contribute as well.

“It shows what a great cause it is because you’re not sending your money off, you’re assembling those meals in Jamestown,” Bergstedt said.

Now comes the next step in the process. Around 250 volunteers will be needed on March 2, at the Buffalo Mall. There will be two shifts, the first from 9 to 1:30 a.m., and the second from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

To volunteer people can call 253-5109 or email jamestownkiwanis@gmail.com.

The process is a simple one but requires teamwork to package the meals.

White rice, crushed soy, a dehydrated blend of six vegetables, and vitamin and mineral powder will be purchased in bulk by Kiwanis with the $30,000 raised.

Volunteers will each add one of the ingredients above into a bag until the meal is packaged. It then gets loaded onto a truck and shipped to one of 62 countries with children suffering from starvation.

Most countries receiving the meals are Third World countries but some meals go to help children in the U.S. and Canada.

Each bag contains 21 vitamins and minerals. When contents of the mixed bags are boiled each will feed six people in need.

The materials alone cost $1.38 per bag, and shipping costs are dramatically reduced because the U.S. Navy ships the food to countries in need.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: news, benefit, clubs