Arlington Heights church packs food

Students from St. Peter Lutheran School in Arlington Heights prayed last weekend over the food they have packed for Feed My Starving Children.

Seven area churches worked over the weekend to pack more than 175,000 meals for the organization.

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian group that sends food packages to people in need around the world, such as Pakistanis devastated by the summer floods.

Almost 70 countries have received food through missionary partners at orphanages, schools, clinics, refugee camps and malnourishment centers.

The organization accepts donations to purchase food at 19 cents a meal, but all packing is done by volunteers like the local church members.

The food combinations were specifically formulated by scientists for children suffering from malnourishment. They include rice, soy nuggets for protein, vitamins and minerals and dehydrated vegetables. The food needs to be cooked in boiling water.

Last year, more than 416,000 volunteers joined in packing more than 96 million meals, and more than half of the volunteers are younger than 18.

The organization has a permanent packing site in Schaumburg and is based in Coon Rapids, Minn. For details, visit fmsc.org or call (763) 504-2919.