Brewster Baptist Church Prepares For 24 Hours Of Fighting Hunger

BARNSTABLE – The Brewster Baptist Church is bringing a new initiative to Cape Cod, one that members of the congregation hope sparks a new way of giving back. 

 On Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31, volunteers will meet at the Trinity Christian Academy in Barnstable to help pack over 101,000 meals to send to countries where food insecurity is at an all-time high. 

 The church is partnering with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), an organization committed to finding ways to eliminate starvation in children around the world. FMSC has created a program called MobilePack, which allows outside organizations like churches, businesses and schools to host a volunteer-based event in their area centered around the goal of packing over 100,000 meals. 

 According to Amanda Carter, the event host from FMSC, as of May 20, over 500 volunteers have signed up to work two-hour packing shifts. In addition, the event has already raised over $20,000 in donations. 

 “Given changes in U.S. government policy, the need for this food aid is greater than ever,” said Doug Scalise, pastor at the Brewster Baptist Church. 

 FMSC was founded in 1987 by Richard Proudfit after he completed a mission trip to Honduras. He sought to find a nutritious meal formula that could easily be shipped to other countries around the world. In 1993, he worked with a team of scientists from General Mills and Pillsbury to develop a soy-based rice casserole meal specifically for malnourished children. By 1994, the organization determined the volunteer meal-packing program was the most efficient and effective way to create and distribute packed goods. 

 Today, the program is used around the country, with eight permanent sites in Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota and Texas. 

 This weekend will be the first event on Cape Cod. Kevin Byrne, Brewster Baptist Church member and communications lead for the event, said he is hoping it becomes a regular community-centric event for the Cape. 

 “This is the first event for this organization [FMSC] on the Cape and only the second in the state,” he said. “It’s my hope that we can host at least one annually going forward.” 

 FMSC has had numerous examples of successful events across the country, including a high school student who successfully engaged the community after deciding to host the event herself and a group of inmates in Mississippi who packed over 130,000 meals. 

 This weekend, the goal is to engage community members and pack over 101,000 meals in just over 24 hours. 

 “There will be people from multiple churches and community groups that will be a part of this effort,” said Scalise. 

 There are still a few volunteer spots available for the event. To find available shifts, visit fmsc.org/volunteer-listing/, toggle to the site or event name in the “search mode” section and input the MobilePack Event number: 2505-156MI. 

 “We often think, ‘how much of a difference can I make being just one person?’” said Byrne. “But truthfully, each volunteer by volunteering for just one two-hour shift literally helps save lives.” 

 For more information, contact the Brewster Baptist Church at 508-896-3381.