Feed My Starving Children food packing project in Morris far exceeds goals

The Feed My Starving Children food packing project had to cancel its Saturday shifts of what was supposed to be a three-day project.

That's what happens when groups run out of food to pack.

The project, sponsored by FMSC and the Morris Evangelical Free Church, far exceeded the 140,000 meals it planned to package in the scheduled three days.

Almost 149,700 meals were packaged for shipping to children, and organizers had to shut down the operation Friday because supplies ran out.

"We certainly live in a compassionate group of small towns," said organizer Margaret Payne. "And hard working! These people didn't stop packaging food from the moment they started, and some came back for three or four times."

More than 650 volunteers joined in the effort, and enough food was packaged to feed 410 children one meal a day for a year.

One 95 year old woman came twice, and an elderly man was there five times, Payne said.

"It was an incredible indication of the desire to serve," she said.