Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis and a group of Rising Stars students visited the Long Island Lutheran High School gym from April 6-8, 2014 to continue a longstanding tradition. More than 30 young boys and girls packed food as part of Meals from the Heart’s overall efforts to give back to those less fortunate. The organizers directed these food packets to local food pantries and global organizations.
Q: How did the Meals from the Heart packing event begin?
Paul Savramis: The event began in 2009 as a small community effort where our students could complete a service requirement project. In the last five years, more and more people have begun sharing their time and money for this worthy cause.
Q: Was there a particular mission for this year’s event?
Paul Savramis: The stated goal of Meals from the Heart for this event was to create and distribute 300,000 food packets. That amount could feed 500 children every day for a whole year! Day and night sessions were available to allow for the schedules of all participants.
Q: What other organizations took part in the Meals from the Heart project and what were you packing?
Paul Savramis: The event was held at our partner school Long Island Lutheran. It was a philanthropic activity that invited other local youth groups, schools, businesses, organizations and churches throughout Long Island. Food packets included pinto beans, vegetables, vitamin mixes and seasoning, as well as rice and soy products. In order to ensure a proper nutritional balance, the packets were designed specifically to meet the dietary needs of all recipients. Meals from the Heart has proven to be an expert at preparing meals, purchasing ingredients and planning menus.
Q: What is the most rewarding benefit of being involved in this event?
Paul Savramis: The team at Rising Stars wants to share the true meaning of this event with our students. That is why we sponsor our kids to be a part of the event and not just pledge funding. Our kids were all participants and were signed up to pack for each of the three days. They shared in a common effort and felt genuinely proud of what they were a part of. Over the years, Meals from the Heart has meant a great deal to both our sponsored participants and their parents. It’s hard to imagine or describe how many families go hungry on a daily basis. This is a way to show both the problem and that people of all ages can make a difference in their communities.
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