BROOKLYN — Thanks to youths at St. Patrick Parish, children in Tanzania may have fuller tummies.
Forty youths packed a total of 4,000 meals last month for Tanzanians as part of Kids Against Hunger, an international food relief campaign. They raised money to buy that many servings of a vitamin-fortified soup mixture of rice, soy and dried vegetables to feed malnourished children.
Kids Against Hunger says 40,000 children die daily from malnutrition and starvation.
To raise funds, youths sought donations and sponsored an omelet breakfast, for which a local Ruritan Club lent cooking supplies. On Dec. 11 and 13, students packed meals, which cost just 23 cents per serving.
Later, the packaged meals were driven to Union, Iowa, where they were slated to be shipped to Tanzania.
“This was a very worthwhile project for our youths to participate in,” said Angie Gritsch, St. Patrick’s youth leader. “It really gives each of them a feeling of helping and accomplishment, as well as making a difference in the world.”