Jackson eighth-graders pack 101,000 meals for children in need

Nearly a fifth of the world's children don't have enough food to eat, according to the World Health Organization. Some Jackson students are doing what they can to help.

Jackson eighth-graders filled Jackson Junior High's gym Thursday morning for a Feed My Starving Children community service event.

Students packed thousands of "MannaPacks" with dry food supplies. Each will be shipped and delivered around the world through Feed My Starving Children, a Christian not-for-profit.

The eighth-graders' efforts will supply over 101,000 meals, according to Todd Rushing. Rushing helped coordinate the event through New McKendree Church in Jackson.

"This will all get shipped to starving kids," Rushing said. "A lot of this will go to Haiti or get distributed to different countries as it's needed."

This is the first year Jackson Junior High has participated in a food-packing event through Feed My Starving Children, principal Bryan Austin said. However, it won't be the last.

"Our goal is to continue to do this every year with our eighth-grade class," Austin said.

Students participated in the event as part of a service learning requirement the school began six years ago. They learned about food insecurity and malnutrition during their advisory class, according to Austin. Seventh-graders also participated in service learning, but with a focus on filling local needs.

"We're trying to provide our kids with a mindset of service learning that will carry on later on in life," Austin said.