One of the most pressing issues facing the world today is hunger. According to the United Nations, around 795 million people do not have enough food to lead a healthy lifestyle.
This problem is especially prevalent in developing countries, where a lack of resources and infrastructure makes it difficult to provide for the needs of a growing population. The situation is made even worse by climate change, which is causing droughts and crop failures in many parts of the world. While there has been some progress made in reducing hunger rates, the problem persists on a global scale. To truly solve the issue of hunger, it is important to address both the immediate needs of those who are affected and the underlying causes of the problem. Only then will we be able to achieve a future without hunger.
Today, one person dies every six seconds because they do not have enough to eat and nutrition-related diseases cause 25 thousand more deaths each day across the world. Numana inc hopes it can make a difference in solving this problem.
Who is Numana Inc?
Numana is a non-profit organisation based in the USA (501c-3 public charity), that was started in 2008 by volunteers to help international hunger relief efforts and food insecurity in the US. Numana Inc provides meals to people in need through a variety of programs, including food banks, soup kitchens, and shelters. The organisation also works to raise awareness about hunger and malnutrition and to lobby for policy changes that will help to improve access to food for all Americans. In addition, Numana Inc partners with other organisations to provide disaster relief assistance to communities affected by natural disasters or conflict. To date, Numana Inc has provided meals to more than 5 million people in need. They have coordinated packaging distribution locations across the country thanks largely because of 178 thousand volunteers who put together over 32 million meals per month on average at around 2 or 4-hour shifts each in an assembly line. The meals that are created consist of rice, dried pinto beans, soy protein, and blends of both vitamins and minerals, all of which are prepared with assistance to the immune systems of less nourished people in mind.
The Process of Meal Preparation
Numana Inc. has already coordinated over 178,000 volunteers to pack over 32,000,000 meals since its inception. The meals that will be packaged by Athens FUMC will be distributed to other cities in the U.S. and around the world. The Henderson County Food Pantry will act as the distributor.
The processes of preparing the food involve the ingredients being evaluated, packed into pet/alu/pe bags, weighed, locked, and finally put into boxes for shipment. The entire cost that the process equates to is 30 cents per meal, which includes the cost of all ingredients, laminated packaging pouches, and international shipping.
In the past, Numana Inc. has shipped meals to places all over the world including Vietnam, Haiti, Honduras, El Salvador, Columbia, Rwanda, Liberia, and South Africa. This year they will be giving special importance to receiving these shipments overseas to a region of Nepal due to the need for as many supplies as possible.
Volunteers Needed
Athens First United Methodist Church (FUMC) has joined in partnership with Numana Inc. to help overcome the problem of worldwide hunger. To achieve their goal, they have set up a target to have 100 volunteers pack 10,000 meals on Sunday 30th August. They have invited the community to join them on this noble mission and people of all ages and skill levels are welcome. If anyone can help on Sunday, they can join a group at one of the combined workshop services at 10 am. The volunteers will be required to begin assembling the meals, followed by a complimentary lunch consisting of cornbread and beans to honour the completion of their mission.
