MPMS packages 60k meals for Take Away Hunger

Chris Stauffer, 14, lifted a bag of rice and poured it into a bucket to be taken to an assembly line where his classmates at Mt. Pleasant Middle School were packaging meals for Take Away Hunger.

The students spent two days during their annual 'Pay It Forward” activities packaging 60,000 meals with Take Away Hunger and volunteering in the community by cleaning up Saunders and East Lake Park, visiting with residents in nursing facilities and more.

'It's for people in need. I really like doing this because I know this helps people in need,” Stauffer said.

Don and Sandee Fields, who lead Take Away Hunger, were grateful for the middle school volunteers and excited for what they would take away from the experience.

'This is something we would love to see in every school in Iowa,” Don said. 'They might be kids, but that doesn't stop them from making a difference.”

'It changes them and it changes the people we're sending the meals to,” Sandee added.

Carson Andreason, 13, was helping the Fields set up tables before the seventh-grade class arrived at the gym to start packaging meals on Thursday, May 23. He had experience packaging meals through his church, Faith Lutheran. His role on Thursday was to direct his classmates in how to stack finished packaged meals into boxes to be shipped.

Andreason said that in class, he watched videos about children who were malnourished. That was motivation for him to work his hardest to package as many meals as possible.

'We need to do something about it,” he said.

Nate Lange, principal of Mt. Pleasant Middle School, said students exemplify what it means to look beyond themselves when they assist with meal packaging and volunteering in their community.

'When I live beyond myself and provide support, the feeling I get is an indescribable satisfaction in helping others,” Lange said to the students before they got to work.

Lange said he hopes that through the middle school's annual 'paying it forward” events, the seed of altruism grows within each student and they have the opportunity to plant that seed in others.

'I firmly believe in this class and the kindness I see in you guys,” he said to the seventh grade students.

Megan Borders, 13, said she felt as if she was helping a good cause.

'It's a great idea, and I'm glad we're doing it,” Borders said.

Borders said that packaging meals was not challenging, and anyone could do it.

'I just hope we're helping make hunger go away,” she said.

Teyanna Lane, 13, was scooping dried corn into a bag. Lane said she was excited about getting to participate in food packaging again this year.

'We get to help other people who don't have as much as we do,” Lane said.

Leslie Lopez, 13, weighed full bags on a scale and added a small scoop of rice as needed before passing the bag off to be sealed. Lopez said that she enjoys working together as a team while packaging food with Take Away Hunger.

'What I learned is not to take things for granted,” Lopez said.

Jurha Turner, 13, said that food packaging is a 'pretty good” time. Kawon Turner, 13, said that it's an important project for kids who don't have enough food.

Lacey Beimer, 12, said the experience is interesting, and 'paying it forward” teaches her that volunteering can be a lot of work, but it will make a great difference.

At Saunders Park on Thursday, May 23, Colton Martin, middle school teacher, chaperoned eight-grade students who were picking up sticks, leaves and trash.

'It gives kids an investment in their community, and they create a community they can be proud of,” Martin said.

Kayla Smith, teacher at Mt. Pleasant Middle School, said that it's fun seeing students pick up, give back and volunteer each year.

'They like these days,” Smith said. 'I definitely think the community volunteering and food packaging days, they see the purpose and that it's helping others.”

Jason Shirkey, 13, said that they are making the community a better place for other residents to enjoy by picking up trash in the parks and volunteering in other ways.

'People don't have to come here and worry about finding trash. They can have a clean place in their community to come relax,” Shirkey said.

Jordan Crooks, 14, said it's a good thing to give back.

'I like helping other people, and when I'm older I want a job where I get to help other people,” Crooks said while picking up sticks at Saunders Park.

Matthew Peterman, 15, said that volunteering in the community through the middle school helps make the world a happier place.

'Taking care of the place - I think it's a great thing,” he said.