Mitchell residents volunteer for hunger relief event Saturday

Last year, Shay Davis experienced a miracle.

Davis, of Mitchell, delivered hand-made meal packets to starving families in the Dominican Republic and Haitian refugee camps in October. He, along with 1,250 other volunteers, packed the meals at an Impact Lives event in Mitchell six months prior to the delivery.

The effort was life-altering.

“The hugs I got from some ladies at a church where we delivered food were the most grateful hugs I’ve ever had. This truly came full circle,” Davis said. “The feeling is overwhelming. We don’t have to worry about where our next meal comes from, and those people do.”

Saturday, another mealpacking event will be held at the Corn Palace.

The event is led by Impact Lives, a nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis. The Impact Lives team of six will work with local volunteers in a 10-hour packaging spree. Last year, 330,000 meals were hand-made and shipped.

“(The recipients) are so grateful of what you’re doing and bringing to them. You just know there’s a need — there’s so much of a need. But there’s no sense of entitlement,” said Deb Weitala, who spearheaded the Mitchell Impact Lives event.

So far, 1,050 volunteers are signed up for Saturday’s event. Volunteers will work in two-hour shifts, beginning at 8 a.m. The last shift begins at 4 p.m.

The meal packs include portions of rice, soy, mineral, vitamin, dry vegetables and fats, which can be cooked for a nutritious and filling meal. Weitala said she would like to see at least 100 more people sign up to pack meals.

Volunteers do not need to pay to pack boxes; however, Impact Lives is raising $82,500 to pay for the raw materials and shipping. So far, Weitala said, $45,000 has been raised. Last year, $47,000 was raised prior to the event, and another $28,000 was raised the day of the event.

Every bit helps, whether it’s volunteering or making a donation, Weitala said.

Weitala was part of the group that delivered the packaged meals to the Dominican Republic and Haitian refugee camps last year. The experience was one-of-a kind.

“I really thought that I would be wrecked seeing people who are starving,” Weitala said.

Instead, she felt appreciative of the efforts in Mitchell to help the hungry.

“It is what it is. This is what we’re facing, and I thought that back here in Mitchell we had 1,200 people side-by-side doing something so huge. That’s what made me cry. It was great to hear (the Haitians and Dominicans) speaking the world ‘milagro,’ which means miracle, and to think we were part of a miracle.”

Davis agreed: “I feel very proud to be part of a community that does this. To me, helping your community wherever you can is just second nature.”

Weitala said she is not sure if the meals will be sent to the same place this year.

Although the meals are packaged in May, they will not be delivered until later in the year.

“If there’s something else that happens between now and then, the meals will go there. We’ve also heard of great needs in Cambodia and Kuala Lampur,” she said.

Those interested in volunteering can still sign up. Weitala said last-minute volunteers can show up 15 minutes to 30 minutes after each shift begins to see if there is a need for help.

The public, too, can stop by to make a donation.

Tags: impact lives, life