Helping Hands Feed the Hungry

It’s over 4,600 miles from here to Burkina Faso, but that distance was bridged recently by a group of volunteers from the Catholic parishes of Norfolk and Medfield.
On April 1, 130 people participated in a meal-packing event held at St. Edward’s parish in Medfield. In just under two hours, 14,000 meals were assembled, packed into boxes, and loaded onto a truck. The next stop for those meals would be the West African nation of Burkina Faso.
The well-orchestrated event was organized by the Faith in Action groups at the parishes of St. Jude in Norfolk and St. Edward the Confessor in Medfield, along with Helping Hands, a partnership between Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Rise Against Hunger. Helping Hands provides not only meals for Burkina Faso, but also resources and training to help the nation become self-sufficient in growing its own food. CRS/Helping Hands has been active in Burkina Faso for over 70 years.
Working under the direction of Danielle McCrary, an assistant project manager at Rise Against Hunger’s New England office, parishioners of all ages filled, weighed, and sealed packets of enriched rice, soy protein, and dehydrated vegetables, enough for one modest meal for six people. Wearing red mesh head coverings and clear plastic gloves, the participants worked at tables spread across the gym in St. Edward. The festive, high-energy atmosphere was accompanied by music, and every few minutes a gong sounded, indicating another 1,000 meals had been assembled.
According to St. Edward parishioner Joan Carey, the Faith in Action groups are a way for parishioners to actually put their Catholic faith into action. Carey, one of the event coordinators, said the meal-packing event was the first joint Faith in Action project between the two collaborative parishes.
The Faith in Action group has been active at St. Edward for a while; the St. Jude group started this year. The groups look for ways to make a tangible difference locally and world-wide, and try to include participants of all ages.
Carey says the meal-packing event was a way for families to participate in community service together.
“There was really no age limit on who could participate, and that was what was so really nice about it,” commented Carey. “You could see it on the faces of the children. They were just so proud of themselves, and rightly so. They were really adding to the event in a meaningful way, and I think they know that.”
Through fundraising, Faith in Action parishioners raised over $7,200 to buy the food for the Helping Hands project.
McCrary of Rise Against Hunger explained that 29 cents of each half dollar pays for one meal, and the remaining 21 cents goes to vetted programs in Burkina Faso that promote economic growth and help end the cycle of poverty and famine.
“The food is just a piece of the puzzle that allows these people to rise above the circumstances they are in,” added Carey. “But without the food, nothing makes any sense because you can’t learn without food, you can’t operate without food. It’s really a critical piece.”
Carey noted that the Helping Hands event, and other Faith in Action community service projects, can help participants reconnect to the church.
“It makes that link between your faith and how you live. Because you can be a great humanitarian and not necessarily be connected to your faith,” she observed. “I’m really hopeful Faith in Action will grow.”
The Faith in Action groups at St. Jude and St. Edward are open to all parishioners looking to participate in community service at any level, from the occasional project to regular involvement. Families are especially welcome, said Carey.
“A family can sign up together and all participate and enjoy the same experience and have something to talk about afterwards that they can all relate to,” she said.
For more information about Faith in Action, visit the churches’ websites at www.stjudenorfolk.org and www.stedward-ma.org.