But I just have to say I have a new favorite organization: Feed My Starving Children.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!
This businessman, Richard Proudfit, saw a need, he came home and worked out a plan to send food to needy areas and did that, only to find that the people were so malnourished they couldn't digest the food. He came up with a new plan and hired people to come up with something these people could eat. They came up with a rice, soybean, vitamin, dried vegetable mixture that is packaged all by VOLUNTEERS and it is shipped all over the world to those who have requested it and have ability to get it to those who need it.
90%, yes NINETY PERCENT of the funds go to feeding people!! That is almost unheard of!
One of the main reasons I don't donate to organizations is because I know they waste so much money! They are often top heavy and that is not the case here.
Where does the food come from? Donations. They buy from what was donated. Volunteers pack it.
So simple.
Packing sessions are a fun competition. People stand around tables putting in their ingredients, sealing and then packing bags in boxes. Anyone age 5 and up can help. They even have jobs for those who can't stand but can sit and help. They play music and everyone is dancing and packing and knowing that for just a short while they are doing something that will really make a difference.
Oh and get this, the rice comes in these huge bags. When they are done with a bag of rice, they include the bag in the shipping container and those bags are also used by the people, often to fortify their dwellings with waterproof roofing.
It is AMAZING!
After a session, anyone who wants can come surround the pallet of food and join in prayer that it will make it safely where it needs to go and so far 99% of it has!!!
I know, this is me on exclamation overload, but I just love this!
Finally, they have a gift shop where you can purchase things that have been made by people in these areas. They have cool items. And those sales ensure that more food goes back to these people. They show pictures of some of the artisans. You have no idea how beautiful a 50 gallon drum can be until you see what they make out of what they have!
One thing I learned while I was there is that in one area the people take clay, mix it with water, salt and oil and bake it to make "cookies" for eating purposes. They have NO nutritional value. They are simply something to help tummies feel full. It is heart wrenching to think of anyone eating these things because there is nothing else. Now, FMSC gets food to these areas and these kids eat real food. Now they make mugs out of the clay and they get shipped here to sell at the FMSC locations. Then those funds help pay for more food.
It is win win! You go help feed people, you donate your time to a worthy cause, you leave knowing you've made a difference, you go home and enjoy your hot chocolate in a mug made by someone on the other side of the world who is no longer starving because of you!
It is AWESOME!!
That is my shameless plug.
