Five Jefferson City churches are teaming up to feed hungry children around the world, but they need some help.
The churches have raised enough money - $22,000 - to provide 100,000 meals as part of Feed My Starving Children, a Christian nonprofit organization effort to end hunger.
Scott Shaw, director of family ministries at Grace Evangelical Free Church, which is organizing the event in Jefferson City, said the meals are made up of dry goods delivered from FMSC locations.
The organization has three meal formulas designed to address the world's main hunger needs, according to its website. Each culturally neutral meal packet contains six to 12 servings, depending on the formula. The original food formula, MannaPack Rice, contains vitamin-packed flavoring, dried vegetables, soy protein and rice.
A second formula was created to meet the World Health Organization's standards for infants 7-12 months old. It contains vitamin-packed sweet potato flavoring, potato granules and soy flour. The third formula was created for people with severe diarrhea, a leading cause of death in developing countries.
What the churches need is a little physical help.
"We need people - we need people who want to come and pack," Shaw said. "Sign-ups and registrations have opened up online. That's the beauty of this. They can sign up for two-hour packing shifts."
Visit give.fmsc.org/jeffersoncity to sign up for a packing shift or to help set up before or clean up after packing is completed.
Organizers hope to get more than 500 people involved in the two-day effort.
Food is to be packed in shifts Nov. 9-10.
Anyone who wishes to donate to the program is encouraged to do so, Shaw said.
Everybody in the Jefferson City area is encouraged to join the packing effort.
"They don't have to be a churchgoer or Christian to pack food," Shaw said.
Volunteers may be individuals, businesses and school groups.