Fort Myers, FL (October 26, 2020) – Fort Myers Christian School (FMCS) surpassed its fundraising goal of $50,000 to support its school through an innovative “food-raising” packing project called “Feed the Need”!
Feed the Need is a fundraiser for FMCS that sets aside a significant portion of the funds raised to purchase, pack, and distribute healthy meals to hungry children in Southwest Florida.
FMCS Principal Mel Mitchell explained, “Feed the Need is a ‘food-raiser’ that provides needed funds for Fort Myers Christian School, and a portion of the funds raised go toward providing healthy meals for hungry children and families. This fundraiser appealed so much to us because of the way it engaged our students to impact others for Jesus. FMCS students personally packed, sealed, and boxed over 10,000 meals that will be distributed to hungry children and families right here in Southwest Florida.
Feed the Need at FMCS culminated in a one-day, student-led food packing party event on October 23, 2020, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. NBC2 News anchor Peter Busch was our honorary emcee with Principal Mel Mitchell. This is the third year of the very successful event.
“This is a meaningful, hands-on event that provides our students the opportunity to serve those in need as we prepare students to live their lives in a way that draws people into the love of Jesus,” Principal Mitchell added.
Gold Sponsors were CC Shutters & Doors and Gulf Star Marina. Silver Sponsors are Palmer Homes of SWFL, ABC Electric Services Inc, McCann Group, Image Custom Coatings, and Spectrum Cleaning and Restoration. Liberty Aluminum, Excel Cleaning and Restoration Supplies, and Priority Marketing were the Bronze Sponsors. The Title Media Sponsor was Christian Television Network (CTN) with Media Sponsors 96.9 WINK-FM and WayFM.
“These sponsors led the way helping us promote this event and build awareness about food insecurity, just as we enter November, which is hunger and homelessness awareness month,” explained Mitchell. “The event from start to finish was amazing this year. With COVID-19 concerns and the start of the school year, this event has shined a light on a very difficult year for everyone. We are thankful that our school was able to help those struggling with hunger during this time.”
Each Feed the Need meal bag is fully nutritionally balanced, designed by dieticians at General Mills specifically for malnourished children. Each bag contains hydrated vegetables, soy or beans for protein, nineteen essential vitamins and minerals, and rice for carbohydrates and energy.
Students at Fort Myers Christian School built and packed the meals. There were four bins per station containing each ingredient with the proper measurement utensil for students to pack them. One person stood at each bin and put his ingredient into a stationary funnel. Another person held an empty bag under the funnel as the ingredients are poured into the bag. The bag is then weighed and sealed and taken to a table to be packed into a shipment box.
FMCS seventh grade student Joshua Grauer had the opportunity to share what it meant to him to get involved with supporting those who face food insecurity. “I believe Feed the Need is important because it can help the people who don’t have food to not go to bed hungry. It is important to me because we are giving to the poor and representing God.”
Meg Madzar, Event and Food Drive Coordinator for the Harry Chapin Food Bank, joined us for the day of the event to pack food and talk about serving others in the community. She said of the event,“We are so grateful to the Fort Myers Christian School and everyone involved in “Feed the Need”. Last year we received over 800 pounds of food from this generous event. Thank you all for being such amazing Hunger Heroes!”
FMCS Board Member Mary Franklin explained the importance of “reaching, teaching, and sending” students out to serve others.“The Feed the Need program, like many other programs at FMCS positively impacts the students in many ways. They truly experience firsthand how everyone working together can bless so many others.”
For more information visit www.fortmyerschristianschool.org/feed-the-need/ or look for these hashtags: #FMCSFeedTheNeed #FeedTheNeed2020 #YouBelongHere.
