Last weekend, over 100 volunteers from the ICSC and First United Methodist Church in Pasadena teamed up for our first ever Rise Against Hunger event. Approximately 40 members of the Islamic Center met churchgoers in the gymnasium of First United Methodist Church to help make a difference – ages ranging from children all the way through senior leadership from both congregations.
“My favorite part of the event was that children played an integral role in the program. I am sure they left that day with a better understanding of hunger around the world and a new appreciation for food.” – Hedab Tarifi, ICSC Chairperson
The day’s goal was to package 17,000 meals for Children in Cambodia, and after only a few hours, our hardworking crew was successful in achieving just that. The meals were simple and easy to make – consisting of a blend of soy, rice, vegetables and a small packet of vitamins. Rise Against Hunger Photos (click for more)
“They’ve really got it down to a science,” said Dr. Rizwan Bhatti, ICSC Board Member and organizer for Pasadena Jum’a services and programs. “Volunteers helped package the food at the first station – one person held the bag, a second added the soy, another the vegetables and a final person poured in the rice. Everything was measured, runners took the packages to another station to weigh and then seal before packaging in boxes.”
With so many tasks at hand, this was a perfect event for the whole family. Children and adults alike were exposed to the realities of the hunger epidemic facing the most vulnerable communities around the world and found a way to help – even for just a few hours on Sunday afternoon. “My favorite part of the event was that children played an integral role in the program,” shared Hedab Tarifi, ICSC Chairperson. “I am sure they left that day with a better understanding of hunger around the world and a new appreciation for food.”
Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most at-risk, mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030. These meals help keep children in school, raise literacy rates, and ultimately break the poverty cycle to end hunger.
Interested in more events like this? Let us know and we will put you on our Volunteer Opportunities mailing list. Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!