EAGLE, ID, August 17, 2010 – Over 500 volunteers gathered at American Falls High School in American Falls, Idaho for the first mobile Manna Pack packing event to help assemble 300,000 Manna Pack™-Potato meals that will be shipped to countries around the world to help malnourished children, including those in Haiti. Manna Pack™-Potato is a "first food" designed specifically for malnourished children with diarrhea that contains potato granules, soy flour, vitamins, minerals and sweet potato flavoring.
"It was an honor for the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) and Idaho potato industry members to participate in this volunteer-driven event," said Frank Muir, President & CEO, IPC. "In addition to providing a monetary donation, we were able to actually assemble the sustenance that will help save the lives of thousands of children around the world."
"This was a very rewarding experience for me both professionally and personally because not only does it support the potato industry, it puts nutritional food directly into the hands of the neediest – sick and starving children," explained Cheryl Koompin, Chairwoman, United States Potato Board (USPB). "This event took place during a national USPB meeting allowing potato growers from Maine to California to participate in a very special and charitable event."
The organization driving this volunteer effort, Feed My Starving Children, has scheduled another packing event to take place in Boise on January 17, 2011.
Source: Idaho Potato Commission