More than 300 people came through the Gordon College cafeteria in Wenham, MA to package more than 51,000 meals in the 2011 Annual Conference STOP HUNGER NOW meal packaging event.

Hunger and poverty kills over 27,000 people a day. In partnership with STOP HUNGER NOW, the United Methodist churches of New England banded together to package nutritious, easy to prepare grain-based meals to address global hunger.

Participation was seen in a variety of ways, from Annual Conference attendees, guests and other volunteers who packaged meals in shifts during the June 8-11 New England Annual Conference sessions, to churches and individuals that donated funds to help raise more than $10,000 to purchase the meal ingredients. Lead churches in the fundraising included:

·        First UMC, Claremont NH

·        North Charlestown NH UMC

·        Grace UMC, Keene NH

·        Richmond Community UMC, Richmond NH

·        Conference Council on Youth Ministries

·        Londonderry NH UMC

·        Sudbury MA UMC

·        Aldersgate and West Chelmsford MA UMC’s

·        NUHOPE, Mansfield MA

·        St Matthew’s UMC, Acton MA

·        Northfield UM Parish, VT

·        Brunswick ME UMC

·        Rockingham-Plaistow NH UMC

·        Tewksbury UMC, MA

·        Weston UMC, MA

·        Good Shepherd UMC, Malden MA

·        Readfield UMC, Kents Hill ME

·        United Methodist Foundation of New England

·        Cox Memorial UMC, Hallowell, ME

·        Marlborough Federated Church, NH

·        West Scarborough UMC, ME

·        St. James UMC, Merrimack NH

·        St. Matthews UMC, Sandown, NH

·        Christ UMC, Northampton, MA

·        First UMC, Winthrop MA

·        East Bridgewater UMC, MA

In a simultaneous event, the Mississippi UMC Conference packaged more than 100,000 meals. All the meals from these events will be going directly to UMC connected organizations in Nicaragua. Because of our efforts, STOP HUNGER NOW is donating additional meals, resulting in more than 240,000 meals that will be given to those who would otherwise go hungry. Learn more about STOP HUNGER NOW at www.stophungernow.org, or to schedule a packing event in your church or community, contact philadelphia@stophungernow.org.

Volunteers package STOP HUNGER NOW meals during the 2011 New England Annual Conference. Photo by David Arruda.