A child dies every six seconds from malnutrition. This is one of many staggering facts offered by the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in order to promote the World Food Day Commemoration.
World Food Day, observed Oct. 16, is a worldwide event designed to increase awareness, understanding and year-round action to alleviate hunger. The Danforth Center will commemorate the day by packaging 200,000 meals to help the hungry in sub-Saharan Africa.
In order to prepare the packages, the Danforth Center needs between 1500 and 3000 volunteers. Volunteers will, in assembly line formation, fill plastic bags with rice, dehydrated vegetables, soy and vitamins. Nancy Clark, Assistant Director of Development at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, called volunteering a “hands-on, education experience.”
Junior Elizabeth Krane, member of the Community Service Club and an advocate for the World Food Day Commemoration, agreed that packaging will be an interactive experience.
“The fact that volunteers get to package the food which is going directly to people is unique because volunteer opportunities often just involve raising money,” Krane said.
Each packaging table has room for 12 volunteers. Krane said that a goal was to find enough students to volunteer so that there could be a table of just CHS students working together.
After packaging food for one hour, volunteers will get the opportunity to tour the Danforth Center. Clark explained what volunteers will experience during the tour.
“After having the opportunity to work with friends and family on a worthwhile humanitarian cause which will provide a short-term solution to world hunger, volunteers will get to learn about long-term solutions to malnutrition that are being developed right here in St. Louis,” Clark said. “They will be able to tour the Danforth Center, meet our scientists, and learn about St. Louis’ work to make food more nutritious and available to people all around the world and eradicate world hunger.”
Junior Karley Woods is on the Junior Board for the event and took the tour upon orientation. She agreed with Clark.
“The tour is not only interesting but exposes students to more long-term solutions because that’s what the Danforth Center is all about,” Woods said.
The World Food Day Commemoration has been largely organized and powered by students. Clark was thankful for all the help students have offered.
“This is a first time event for the Danforth Center and thanks to our 70 high school Junior Board members and Center volunteers and supporters, the difficulties have been minimal,” Clark said.
“I have had a good experience as a board member,” Woods said. “I have gotten a much better sense of what the scientists do at the center and have been pretty involved in promoting World Food Day.”
Since learning about the World Food Day Commemoration, Krane has expressed great interest in volunteering and spreading the word at CHS. A main reason for her interest in the World Food Day Commemoration is the fact that students have played such a large role in organizing the day.
“I know this commemoration day has been heavily student oriented, with the junior board doing a lot in organizing the day,” Krane, a member of the Community Service Club, said. “Also, we will get to work alongside kids from other schools,”
Since this is the first time event for the Danforth Center, getting the word out has been a major difficulty. According to Clark, spreading the word has been the greatest challenge, but the Junior Board and other supporters “have been working hard to help us do so.”
“Corporations, schools, religious organizations, professional associations, the media and countless individuals have been extremely positive and supportive,” Clark said. “But we can always use more packaging and leadership volunteers to help us fulfill our goal.”
To help with the cost of the food, packaging and shipping to Africa, the Danforth Center is asking for a registration fee of $15 per student and $20 per adult. More in information about the event and registration is available at www.danforthcenter.org/wfd.
The Danforth Center World Food Day Commemoration is a great opportunity for students not only help alleviate hunger, but also work alongside people in the community who share the same passion to help others.