FAQ
FAQ
- Signing Up
- Our Locations
- Packing the Food
- Special Events
Signing Up
Can I sign up a group of people?
Sure! When you sign up to pack, each session will show the number of spots that are still open. Be sure to pick a session that has room to accommodate your group.
What ages can participate?
Ages 6 to adult are welcome to participate in our packing sessions. Children younger than 6 can help but they will need a grown-up’s assistance. We also encourage that older children or grown-ups operate the heat sealers. Children under 13 need their parents’ approval to run the sealers.
Do you have any dates that are not on the list?
At this time we cannot schedule any sessions that are not listed. Our team is made up of volunteers and thus we need to work around job schedules and other commitments. As our team expands we hope to add additional sessions in the future. You can visit the Kids Against Hunger national site to see if other locations can accommodate you.
Our Locations
Where are you located?
We have locations at The Urban Refuge in Minneapolis and Evergreen Community Church in Bloomington. Visit our directions page.
Where can I park?
At the Minneapolis location, feel free to park in our parking lot or along the street. We only ask that you avoid parking on the north side of 55th Street—our neighbors have requested this and we want to honor that.
At the Bloomington location, feel free to park in the parking lot.
Packing the Food
What will I be doing?
A packing session is a simple way to help feed the hungry and starving around the world. Volunteers pack the meals in four steps:
Filling
Sturdy plastic bags are filled with scoops of soy protein, dried vegetables, fortified vegetarian seasoning, and rice.
Weighing
The food packets are checked to make sure they are the corrent weight.
Sealing
Excess air is removed from the packets and they are closed with a heat sealer. Once sealed, the food will remain fresh for three years.
Packing
The packets are packed in boxes for shipping to their destination. One box holds enough food to feed 216 children.
What happens to the food after we pack it?
The South Minneapolis and Bloomington satellites are focused on providing food relief to Haiti. We work with Lifeline Haiti which runs a network of schools and provides meals to over 4,500 children.
How much does the food cost?
Each meal costs 23 cents to purchase, pack, and ship. One box of food (216 meals) costs about $50.
Who pays for the food and the shipping?
Our funding comes from donations and monthly sponsorships from people like you. Just $20/month will fill five boxes with food and feed three children for a year!
Special Events
What is the Fill Their Plate Packathon?
The Fill Their Plate Pack-a-Thon is is a special event at the South Minneapolis location where we bring in additional packing sessions and pack as many meals as we can in a single day. In 2010 we packed 150,000 meals! The date for the 2012 Fill Their Plate Pack-A-Thon is TBD. Stay tuned for more details.
What is the Fill Their Plate Run?
The Fill Their Plate Run is a run/walk event to raise funds for the Fill Their Plate Packathon. We hold a 5K run/walk, a 10K run, and kids’ fun runs of 1, ¼, and ½ mile.
The 2012 Fill Their Plate Run will be held on Saturday, June 16—registration will open online later this year.
What are the Million Meals Packathons?
Like the Fill Their Plate Packathon, Million Meals Packathons are all-day (and sometimes two-day) events at the Bloomington location with the goal of packing as many meals as we can. In 2010 Bloomginton held four packathons which helped them get to their goal of 1,000,000 meals for the year! Stay tuned for 2011 packathon dates.