On the last day of February, 150 volunteers filed into the Community Center ballroom to pack meals for the hungry.
Over 64,000 meals were packed at the annual Food for Kidz event, put on annually by New Journey Lutheran Church (NJLC) in Fountain Hills.
The meals were “Cinnamon Breakfast Oatmeal,” a breakfast meal consisting of oats, sugar and cinnamon that requires only hot water.
“Cinnamon with 21 vitamins and minerals,” John Neisen added, co-founder of Food for Kidz, who will deliver the pallets of instant oats to several locations throughout Arizona.
“Fifty percent of the food we packed is staying locally and it appears, at this time, the remainder will go to Ukraine,” said Gwen Rubenow of New Journey Lutheran Church.
Locations within Arizona include AZ Brainfood in Mesa, Native American Connections in Phoenix, Extended Hands Food Bank in Fountain Hills and potentially others.
A portion of the food will also head north to the Navajo Nation.
Participants were assigned to teams of 10 that packed the meals in an assembly-line style, adding different ingredients as the packets moved down the line.
“What makes me very proud of this is that we want to hold a space for our community to come together across various backgrounds and beliefs and contribute to the common good,” said NJLC Pastor Elizabeth Gallen. “When so many other places seem interested in churning things up, we want to bring people together across division and contribute to our world.”
Food for Kids was cofounded by Neisen of Stewart, Minn., and Bob Rubenow of Fountain Hills.
Neisen says the event in Fountain Hills was one of four total events in the Phoenix area that weekend, including Sunflower Resort in Surprise, Trilogy at Vistancia in Peoria and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Phoenix.
Many local organizations participated in the event including the Noon Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club of Fountain Hills, Fountain Hills Community Lions Club, Four Peaks Rotary Club and others.
Past-president of Four Peaks Rotary Todd Harris was present at the event despite a broken back. Wearing a brace for support, Harris said attending this event is important because not only does it help address food insecurity by supplying meals to those in need but it also fosters community engagement - values that his service organization upholds.
Service above self,” Harris said. “It’s what we do.”
The Fountain Hills Fire Department was also present at the food pack event, lifting, transporting and loading the food into and out of the Community Center.
“It’s a big deal,” says Don Deazy, captain of the fire department. “It’s really good to be able to help out and be part of the cause.”
Mike Wilson is a member of NJLC and a church council member who has been part of the Food for Kidz since its first year in 2012.
Wilson said it’s fun to see all the different groups of people, young and old, come together to do a good thing.
“It allows us to achieve a goal to help others,” Wilson said.
For more information about New Journey Lutheran Church, visit njlc-fh.org.
We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Cyrus Guccione can be reached at cguccione@iniusa.org.
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