Hunger has no boundaries Metro group finds need for food growing at home and abroad

By Steve Pardo The Detroit News Oak Park —

Inside the 14,000-square-foot warehouse in Oak Park, people move pallets stacked with bags containing a mash of dried soybeans, a chicken-flavored vitamin powder, rice and dehydrated vegetables. The bags have a shelf life of five years and while they may not sound appetizing, they represent salvation for thousands of people a week. "In the last few months we've served over 1 million meals," said Donald Burwell, who started the Kids Against Hunger Great Lakes Coalition 13 years ago. The organization ships food to seven African countries and has been instrumental in aid to Haiti. But one-third of the food stays local. The same mash — which turns into a "soy casserole" after it's mixed with boiling water and stirred for 20 minutes — goes to organizations such as Gleaners, providing nutrients to southeastern Michigan people as well as for those in impoverished, tragedy-stricken countries. And the need continues to increase locally as well as abroad. The organization uses volunteers to pack the items, assembly style. More than 25,000 local school kids have participated in the past three years. Local churches, schools and groups, including the Kiwanis, get involved in the staffing and production. The Kiwanis members became affiliated with Kids Against Hunger about four years ago, starting with a branch in Plymouth. Since then it has spread to Kiwanis organizations throughout the state. "Almost every weekend there are clubs packing," said Al Dailey, executive director for the Michigan Kiwanis. "I've seen tears in people's eyes when they're done. My experience is almost immediately people contact me afterwards saying 'When's the next one?' " All 120 spaces at a recent food packing event at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor filled two weeks in advance. At Northwood University in Midland, school officials have taken food packing one step further — it's a requirement for incoming freshmen. The freshmen spend about a half-hour readying boxes to ship as part of their orientation. "It's a matter of us getting our kids into service activities outside of the classroom and making them aware of charitable events," said Dave Bender, a Northwood spokesman. "Plus, it gives them a time to interact with other freshmen." Physically getting the food ready to ship is rewarding because it's direct, Dailey said. People can see and feel the good and know the items are going directly to those who need them. "The only thing that could make it better for me personally is if I could deliver it, too." It was the delivery that caught the eye of Capt. Jeffrey Thomas, commander of the Navy ship USS Normandy. The guided missile cruiser arrived off the coast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 17 to help with humanitarian efforts. Thomas, a Grosse Pointe Park native, met with the pastor of a Haitian town and had arranged for food from the ship to be brought onto land. The ship and crew stayed in the region 21 days, delivering 125,000 meals — meals from Kids Against Hunger that were packed by volunteers. "An organization like that is making a huge difference," Thomas said.

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