Feed My Starving Children marks first anniversary in Libertyville

More than 60 Feed My Starving Children volunteers on Nov. 14 celebrated the anniversary of the Libertyville meal packing site at 742 E. Park Ave. and cheered at the staggering first year results.

A total of 56,532 area volunteers for the hunger relief organization at the Libertyville location packed 15,689,808 meals for malnourished children in 50 countries around the world, including Haiti, Nicaragua and the Philippines.

John Schmelzel, Libertyville site supervisor, offered a heartfelt thanks on behalf of the staff to the many enthusiastic supporters.

“We talk about feeding hungry children, but we’re fed every day by you folks,” he said.

The volunteers commemorated the occasion with a meal-packing session, and in a little more than an hour packed 61 boxes, or 36,660 meals.

The Libertyville site is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Special “Fully Invested sessions,” which require a $50 donation, will also be held during the holidays, including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. For site hours and to sign up to pack meals in Libertyville, as well as at sites in Schaumburg and Aurora, visit fmsc.org/volunteer.

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian nonprofit founded in 1987 that produces three meal formulas scientifically developed to reverse and prevent malnutrition. All meals are packed by volunteers at sites in Minnesota, Illinois and Arizona, and at MobilePack events across the United States. In the most recent fiscal year, FMSC welcomed 657,000 volunteers to produce 163 million meals. FMSC has maintained the highest four-star rating from Charity Navigator for eight consecutive years and spends 92 percent of total donations directly on feeding the hungry

The organization receives no government support or donated ingredients, so private donations are needed to fund all meals at 22 cents each. Donors may give online to the Philippines relief effort at fmsc.org/Philippines.