New Martinsville Rotarians are gearing up for another day of coming together with Ohio and Marshall county Rotaries to do their part in fighting hunger around the world. Since 2005 Rotarian clubs have come together to package over 30 million meals for distribution to needy families and individuals around the globe.

Rotary is a critical link through the Rise Against Hunger program in helping the United Nations meet their goal of ending world hunger. Rotarians have now packaged meals with Rise Against Hunger in 11 countries including South Africa, Malaysia, Philippines, Italy, India, Peru, Australia and South Korea.

More than 400,000 volunteers package meals through Rise Against Hunger’s meal packaging program every year. It is a fun, hands-on service project that is suitable for all ages.

New Martinsville’s Rotary Club is actively involved in the packaging program. This year’s event will be held in Glen Dale, at the St. Jude Catholic Church, 710 Jefferson Ave. The Event Host is the Rotary Club of Moundsville. The movement to end hunger by the year 2030, will start at 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. The goal is to assemble and package 20,000 meals for shipment. It will involve an assembly line effort made up of volunteers from within and out of the three local Rotaries from Wetzel, Ohio and Marshall county.

The assembly process combines rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a flavoring mix including 20 essential vitamins and minerals into small meal packages. These meal packages are shipped around the world to support school feeding programs and crisis relief. The food stores easily, transports quickly and has a shelf-life of two years.

For over 20 years, our organization has relied on the hands of our volunteers to push our mission of ending world hunger forward. We’re asking you to rise to the challenge and package meals to reach the people we serve around the world — especially during this time of crisis.

While communities work toward a future in which they can thrive, families and individuals facing hunger around the globe still have basic, immediate needs. One in three people worldwide are adversely affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Rise Against Hunger meals, packaged by volunteers, are designed to provide a comprehensive array of micronutrients.

Rotary recognizes collaborating organizations, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, corporations and universities that have a history of working with Rotarians and Rotaractors on service activities locally or internationally. Collaborating organizations adhere to Rotary’s ethical standards, have no conflicts of interest in their work with Rotary and have a regional or global presence.

Rotary is a leader in the effort to end global hunger!

Our Rise Against Hunger event is coming up FAST! We’ve had a lot of verbal commitments, but Please, Please go to the RAH website to sign up to work and/or donate. We still need to raise $725, and we need some more workers. Also, if you are able to stay at the end, we will need to clean up — nothing major, just putting things away and sweeping up rice.