GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Approximately 793 million people around the world suffer from chronic undernourishment, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The majority of these people, 780 million, reside within developing countries.

This is what inspires the students, faculty and staff of the University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) to continue their partnership with Rise Against Hunger, formerly known as Stop Hunger Now, by raising funds and packaging meals for families who face food insecurity. Now in its fifth year, the CALS “Day of Service” event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the Straughn Center, 2142 Shealy Drive, Gainesville, Florida.

“With service being a core value of CALS, our students are determined to fight against food insecurity that people around the world face daily,” said CALS Dean Elaine Turner. “This service opportunity provides students with the ability to make a direct impact on families in our global community through this meal packaging event. This year, the goal is to purchase and package more than 25,000 meals for those in need.”

Students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to volunteer by packaging meals as well as making donations that will go toward the cost of paying for these meals. Those interested in participating in this project can register by contacting Charlotte Emerson, CALS director of student development and recruitment, at cemer@ufl.edu.

Volunteers can sign up for a packaging shift here, and are asked to bring three nonperishable items to help combat the food insecurity issue locally. These donations will be available to the UF family through the Alan and Cathy Hitchcock Field and Fork Pantry on campus.

Each meal packaged at the event costs 29 cents. A $10 donation would provide 34 meals for needy families. Donations to help purchase meals for the packaging event can be made here.

“Participating with the Rise Against Hunger event was an awesome opportunity to be a part of a tangible effort to end hunger,” said Wally Martin, a participant in the last two CALS Day of Service events, and a senior majoring in food and resource economics. “It was rewarding to see and be a part of such a large group working toward this common goal.”

Since its founding in 1998, Rise Against Hunger has packaged and distributed nearly 350 million meals in 74 countries. Though the Raleigh, North Carolina-based non-profit’s name has changed from Stop Hunger Now, the goal remains the same: to make a global impact on hunger by building resilience, self-sufficiency and empowerment among communities.

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By: Dana Edwards at 352-294-7995 or dana.edwards@ufl.edu.

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) administers the degree programs of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The mission of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is to deliver unsurpassed educational programs that prepare students to address the world’s critical challenges related to agriculture, food systems, human wellbeing, natural resources and sustainable communities. Visit the CALS website at cals.ufl.edu, and follow CALS on social media platforms at @ufcals.

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