Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis was a chief organizer and volunteered during the recent LuHi Meal Packing Event, which supports food pantries in the New York City as well as those in the Philippines and Nicaragua. Here, he shares his inspirational experiences with giving back to the community.
Q: What was the goal of the LuHi Meal Packing Event?
Paul Savramis: For the fourth consecutive year, Long Island Lutheran High School hosted and organized a philanthropic activity open to businesses, schools, organizations, youth groups and churches in the area.
The goal was to complete at least 300,000 food packets during the event, which was achieved on the final day. That amount of food would feed up to 500 children each day for one whole year. Included in the food packets were dried vegetables, pinto beans, seasoning and vitamin mixes, as well as soy and rice. The meals were selected to provide nutritional balance for the recipients.
Q: When was the LuHi Meal Packing Event held and what were the requirements for participants?
Paul Savramis: The packing event took place April 6 through April 8 at Long Island Lutheran High School’s Visscher Gymnasium. Both day and evening sessions were offered for all three days of this program. Pre-registration was required prior to the event.
Q: How were participants eligible to be included in the event?
Paul Savramis: Each donation of $60 allowed one person to be involved in a 2-hour packing session. It’s important to note that donations of any amount were accepted and appreciated. Offering a monetary donation did not mean that an individual was obligated to join the meal packing. Details were then forwarded to the participant by email. All ages were welcome to participate, but adult supervision was required for children 10 and under.
Q: What relationships or associations made this special event possible?
Paul Savramis: The organizers were working directly through Mano Amiga, a non-profit organization that hosts a powerful and inspirational program called “Meals from the Heart.” Of note is that a significant portion of the packaged food will be used to feed local children. Of the food packets, two-thirds are directed to local food pantries while the other one-third are distributed to global organizations.
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