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, containing 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.
About Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children is a Christian nonprofit hunger relief organization, founded in 1987 that strives to eliminate starvation in children throughout the world by helping to instill compassion in people to hear and respond to the cries of those in need. For more information visit http://www.fmsc.org.
About the Idaho Potato Commission
The Idaho Potato Commission is a state agency that is primarily responsible for expanding the markets for Idaho®-grown potatoes through advertising, promotion and research. The Commission also protects the use of the "Idaho®" potato and "Grown in Idaho®" seals, which are federally registered Certification Marks that belong to the IPC. These Marks ensure that consumers are purchasing potatoes that have been grown in the state of Idaho. For more information visit www.idahopotato.com.
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Contact:
Sue Kennedy
EvansHardy+Young, Inc.
302.547.3625
suekennedypr@comcast.net
