Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati

Million Meal Marathon

2012-01-26T16:52:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars now!!!

With just 2 hours of your time, you can produce enough life saving, high protein food to feed 1 child for 1 year. There are 10 sessions over the course of 4 days in which 1,000,000 meals will be produced. An equally important goal is to raise $250,000 to purchase the ingredients that will be used.

For more details, please visit: http://www.achildshopeintl.org/Marathon.html

Soup for the Soul

2012-01-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

We have an exciting event coming up February with Panera Bread!!!

Panera Bread is hosting the Soup for the Soul campaign to benefit Kids Against Hunger. Throughout February at all southwest Ohio bakery-cafes, a portion of every soup in a bread bowl sale will be donated to Kids Against Hunger, a family friendly program providing nutrient rich meals to malnourished children locally and around the world.

“Panera Bread is proud to support Kids Against Hunger through our Soup for the Soul campaign,” said Craig Flom, President, Breads of the World, LLC, franchisee of Panera Bread. “Knowing that we can make a difference in the lives of hungry children in southwest Ohio and around the world is a cause that we can truly stand behind. We encourage our friends throughout the community to join us in support of this outstanding program by enjoying soup in a bread bowl from Panera Bread in February.

Panera Bread staff will be at the "Factory" with samples on the following Saturdays: Feb 4, 18 and 25. Reserve your place on the line now at the Volunteer Signup page - there are spaces available for you!

Monday, December 5 ONLY!

2011-12-04T07:41:00.000-08:00

A Child’s Hope International/KAH Cincinnati will be the Deals That Give Back featured cause on Monday, 12/5/11. 10% of all purchases goes directly to KAH! Please help spread this great news, thanks everyone!!!!

On Monday, please visit DealsThatGiveBack.com

Holiday in Lights fundraiser

2011-12-01T15:14:00.000-08:00

Great News!!! Kids Against Hunger has been selected by the Sharon Woods Holiday in Lights organizers to be the recipient of donations at the holiday event this year!!! This is the holiday drive-through light show at Sharon Woods Park. The event runs from 11/18-12/31/11. Hours are Sunday-Thursday from 6-9pm and Fri/Sat from 6-10pm. When you pull into Sharon Woods, you will see a big banner at the entrance to the event mentioning the partnership of Holiday in Lights and Kids Against Hunger.

On the weekends only, when paying the admission, each car will have the opportunity to also make a donation to Kids Against Hunger Cincinnati!

Please spread the word and enjoy the lights.

A $2 off coupon can be found here.

Ribbon Cutting from the Grand Opening!

2011-09-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

More Grand Opening fun!!!

2011-09-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

Chick-fil-A, Dave and Buster's and, Costco Wholesale are having a pre-grand opening event for Kids Against Hunger. Go to Costco (Springdale or Deerfield Township locations only). Buy and donate a 50 pound Bag of Blue Ribbon rice. When you donate the 50 pound bag of Blue Ribbon rice at Costco they will give you 3 Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich vouchers and a $10 Dave and Buster's Game Play voucher. The offer expires on 9/24/11. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A COSTCO MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE. You will be helping children in need as well as getting dinner and some game time for yourself. Only after one day, Costco already sold 32 bags of rice at the Deerfield
store alone and about 16 at the Tri-County store! Will you help as well? Thank you!!!

Grand Opening

2011-09-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

You’re Invited to the Grand Opening!

What: Grand Opening for ACHI/Kids Against Hunger with Special Africa Crisis Relief Sessions to help provide life saving food for the Horn of Africa
When: Saturday September 24^th, 2011
Where: 2430 E Kemper Rd, Sharonville Ohio 45241
Time: 9am until 5pm (Ribbon Cutting and Festivities begin at 9am)

Who are we? A Child’s Hope Int’l is your new neighbor, in the McSwain Carpet & Flooring Center on Kemper Rd, in Sharonville. Our acclaimed Kids Against Hunger program provides life-saving, high protein food packets to starving children all over the world.

What do we do? A Child’s Hope Int’l cares for orphans, children in foster care as well as hungry and thirsty children worldwide. Volunteers from across the Tri-State region come to our Kids Against Hunger "Factory" to produce high protein, life saving food for hungry children in our city, in our country and around the world. In the past three years, 20,000+ volunteers have produced 7+ million meals at the "Factory". This remarkable program can feed a hungry child for just 25¢ a day. And (even more remarkably) 1 volunteer who works for just 2 hours can feed 1 child for 1 year.

Who are our volunteers? Kids Against Hunger is a family friendly program in which people of all ages from 5 to 85 have worked together at the factory. Individuals and groups from churches, synagogues, schools, social clubs, colleges, businesses, senior centers and civic groups are common sources of volunteers for packaging our food.

Why are we in Sharonville? Over the past 3 years, we have used available space in West Chester, Blue Ash and most recently in Milford. Our move to Sharonville has provided a larger facility and an improved location! As a result, we will be able to attract more volunteers, to help more orphans and to send more life saving Kids Against Hunger meals worldwide.

Want to learn more? Attend the Grand Opening and ...take a factory tour, sample the food, work the packing line, sit in on a training session (for the 800+ volunteers that day), learn about adoption and foster care, meet local authors Mark Curnutte and Holly Schlaack, learn about a child’s life in Haiti through the Restavek Foundation, get meal coupons from Chick-fil-A, listen to the Princeton H.S. Marching band, free face painting, and much more!

For more information,
Visit our website at: www.ACHI.us or www.HungerNoMore.us , contact us at 513-771-ACHI, or stop by Saturday September 24^th between 9am and 5pm!

Still need help with the pack for Horn of Africa's Children Famine

2011-09-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

People have heard our ad on Star 93.3 FM and liked it!
We still need 300 more people for Sept 24 KAH Grand Opening pack for the women and children in the Horn of Africa.

Children's Famine - tragic.
www.achildshopeintl.org/AfricaCrisis.html

What is everyone doing on Sept 24 - got 2 hours?

Zumbathon to benefit Kids Against Hunger!

2011-08-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

Zumba® Fitness Master Class with Danelle Jacoby
To Benefit Kids Against Hunger (KAH)

What: Zumba combines Latin and International music with a fun and effective workout system.

When: Sat. 9/17 3PM-4PM Doors open at 2:30 PM

Where: West Chester Nazarene Church (next to Kohl’s)

7951 Tylersville Rd, West Chester, OH 45069

Donation: $10 minimum suggested donation Checks to KAH

Why: To help KAH feed starving/malnourished children

Want to volunteer with this nonprofit family friendly ministry? Visit: http ://achildshopeintl.org/KidsAgainstHunger.html

Arrive early!!!!!!

Cart-wheel-a-thon

2011-05-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

A huge thank you to the Countryside YMCA gymnastics team!

These amazing girls conducted a cart-wheel-a-thon to raise funds to feed starving children.

Each girl did 500 cartwheels, which equals approx. 1 mile....combined, they raised a little over $1,300 (which will feed 4,800 children)!!!!

Dinner Show to benefit Kids Against Hunger Cincinnati!

2011-03-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

Boxes you helped pack in Cincinnati spotted in Swaziland

2011-03-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

Pics and article found on Tom Davis' blog entry, "Red Letters, Life with Orphans and the Poor in pictures":

Thank you for packing 1,094,472 meals for Haiti!!

2011-03-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

The Haiti Million Meal Marathon concluded on Monday night. Shouts of joy and applause broke out in the "Factory" when the last session crossed over the one million goal.

Over 3000 people came from OH, KY and IN to help the children in Haiti. Our goal now is to get this food into a secure warehouse in Haiti before the ravages of the next hurricane season whch begins in just a few months.

Read more about the event as covered by Channel 5 and the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Although the volunteers were in great supply, the donations have not been and are much lower than needed. We still need your help for the 72 tons of food ingredients that was purchased and for shipping to Haiti as soon as possible.

There are a variety ways to help: Matching donations from your employer, donate your car, boat, truck, RV, etc regardless of shape, age or condition AND 10for1.

Please help us today by check or online donation at DonateNow.

$54 will pay for a box of 216 meals
$120 will feed 1 child for 1 year
$10 will feed 1 child for 1 month

Remember this:

It only takes 25 cents for us to feed 1 child for 1 day. We know of nothing that is more nutritious or economical than this high protein power pack of nutrition.

Got questions, let us know by email or call the "Factory" at 513-248-4005.

Children of the World Choir

2011-01-29T12:08:00.000-08:00

Children of the World Choir will serve at the Kids Against Hunger Factory and perform in concert on Sat, Apr 2, 2011. This is a must see!!!

Today at the factory.....75,000 meals!

2011-01-22T15:11:00.000-08:00

Veritas Home School

2011-01-02T21:23:00.000-08:00

This group of students were amazing! They served a variety of breakfast items and the proceeds ($285.42) went to - guess who? Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati!! Thank you to Veritas home school and Diana Swanger for organizing this effort :-)

Each table had different designs for the center pieces, the menus were creatively done and each table had a server or 2!

Amazing what happens when children make a decision to impact others!

Recycling soda cans

2010-12-27T21:10:00.000-08:00

A huge KAH Cincinnati Thank You goes out to Rachel L!!!

After discovering she can raise 50 cents per pound for aluminum, Rachel collected $27.50 worth of aluminum cans......all of which she donated to KAH Cincinnati! And not to stop there, Rachel and her family suggested placing special KAH recycling bins to raise even more money to feed starving children. Thank you Rachel!!!

Nov 20 update

2010-11-24T11:59:00.000-08:00

The volunteers last Saturday did a super job and manufactured a total of 78,408 meals (11 pallets). A special thank you to the teams from Texas Roadhouse and Mason schools who were both at the factory packing food last Saturday. The funds they raised will greatly assist our effort to feed the hungry!

The production on 11/20 pushed our total production to date to 4,312,008 meals.

November has also been an active month for shipments. We shipped locally to Shared Harvest in Fairfield and the Freestore Food Bank.

Internationally, KAH Cincinnati made shipments as follows:
11/11/10 – Swaziland (shipment to our several partners) – 285,120 meals
11/22/10 – Swaziland (Nazarene Ministries) – 285,120 meals
11/23/10 – Nicaragua – 285,120 meals
KAH Cincinnati shipped a total of almost 900,000 meals in November. We need to thank Don Tedrick and Ron Whitmer for their assistance in helping to get these shipments out the door.

Because we sometimes get donations from other KAH locations that don’t have the ability to ship what they produce, our total shipments now exceed our production, KAH Cincinnati has now shipped a total of 4,444,200 meals.

Everyone from KAH Cincinnati wishes you a blessed Thanksgiving.
Thank you for all your support.

Nov 6, 2010 Update

2010-11-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

The pack last Saturday at Messiah Lutheran Church went very well and the three teams packed a total of 61,992 meals. We need to thank everyone who volunteered and were a part of this effort.

To learn more about remote packs, please visit: KAH Packing At Your Place.

The production of 61,992 meals on November 6th pushed our total production to 4,233,600 meals!! We also have made several shipments over the last 10 days totaling 32,832 meals, all going to local organizations (Reach Out Lakota, Shared Harvest and the Free store Food Bank).

This morning we expect to load our next large shipment, a ship container with 285,120 meals headed for Swaziland.

Thank you Abby!

2010-11-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Below is a picture of our friend Abby with her mom and brother. Not only did they help pack life saving meals on October 23, but Abby took the initiaive to help raise money to pay for the supplies!

Abby raised over $100 with a bake sale and then raised the rest by talking to people at different businesses in her local community as well as asking for donations at the local Kroger!

Thank you Abby!!!!

In the words of our executive director, Larry Bergeron:

I met Abby, her Mom and brother this past Sat. What an inspiring person! She handed me a peanut butter jar with $220.25 in it. I believe that she stood at Kroger's asking for help outside. Pretty inspiring young lady!!

Be the Church Day

2010-10-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was "Be the Church Day" at KAH-Cincinnati! Between 800 & 900 people from 35 different Cincinnati area Nazarene churches all came together to help pack over 243,000 meals. This group of very polite, orderly and selfless volunteers helped us surpass a total of 4 million meals. Thank you to all of you for all you do!!!

Miami Township video interview regarding the Milford Grand Opening

2010-09-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

Grand Opening to Help Orphans in Africa

2010-08-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

A Child's Hope Int'l, is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the Kids Against Hunger "Factory" in their New Location in Milford, OH. on Saturday, Sept 25, 2010 from 9 AM to 3 PM.

Given the lack of life saving food for orphans in many parts of Africa, the Kids Against Hunger Grand Opening at their new Milford location will launch their Fall 2010 campaign to help feed starving children in the tiny African country of Swaziland.

Everyone is encouraged to sign up NOW for their packing session by Registering Online. Come and be a part of an amazing experience that will literally save the lives of desperately hungry children.

A maximum of 250 people per session will be allowed on a first come, first serve basis. More details about this family friendly program can be found online at Kids Against Hunger.

For this one-time grand opening event, no minimum donations are required- just give what you can to help feed children at risk. The goal for this Grand Opening event is at least 100,000 meals. The 18 lines of production will fill quickly so register early by Registering Online for Sat, Sept 25.

Even if you cannot stay for the packing session on Sept 25, come and see how this 'elegantly simple" process works and why over 10,000 volunteers have already been to the "Factory". In just 2 years of operation, over 3.5 million meals have been packaged by people from 3 to 83 working together to Heal the World of painful hunger.

Learn more about the orphans of Swaziland on our Grand Opening page.

A Child's Hope International and the Kids Against Hunger "Factory" have been actively involved in feeding children throughout Ohio, Appalachia, Haiti, Central America and various countries within Africa. They were featured in a special article called Reaching Out to Haiti in the Sunday edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer on March 21, 2010

Please email your questions or offer to help to kah@achildshopeintl.org

Thank you.

Update on recent shipments

2010-08-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

While many are getting the new factory ready, your Cincinnati KAH team was also busy last week making shipments:

On Monday a ship container left Cincinnati with 235,224 meals and 6 pallets of relief supplies going to Children's Intl Lifeline - Haiti.

On Tuesday a ship container left Cincinnati with 277,992 meals and 2 pallets of relief supplies going to Children's Cup Swaziland.

On Friday a ship container left Cincinnati with 242,352 meals and 7 pallets of relief supplies going to Children's Intl Lifeline - Haiti.

While each of these shipments is consigned to just one organization, they are being shared by many partners in Haiti and Swaziland. We also need to thank Dan, Don, and Mike who all helped in the loading of these ship containers. This is an interesting task - sometimes like a jigsaw puzzle trying to get everything to fit!!

KAH Cincinnati shipped a total of 775,568 meals last week!

One other important point, with these three shipments we have now shipped more meals (3,547,368) than we have produced (3,540,240). This is because other KAH organizations in this area sometimes have no way to ship the material they produce in smaller packs and they donate those meals to KAH Cincinnati.

We also need to thank Bill Mead for being the "go to" person for Ethicon. The Ethicon team of some 25 packed our whole Blue Ash factory in a little over 5 hours, what a blessing. This will make our move from Blue Ash much easier - Thank you Bill!

Saturday, July 17

2010-07-20T13:17:00.001-07:00

Our last pack at our Blue Ash "factory" sure was a good one! Our volunteers produced a total of 121,176 meals - that is pretty close to 1/2 of a trailer load! This puts our total production to date well past 3.5 Million meals, 3,540,024 meals produced to be exact.

KAH Cincinnati also made a shipment on Saturday as Ernie Burke picked up 14,256 meals for an outreach by a team headed to Harlan, Kentucky. The team is taking our food as well as shoes, socks and back packs full of school supplies for over 250 kids in an elementary school located in Harlan.

We also now have over 1 million meals in inventory which will begin to leave Cincinnati as trucking and ship containers can be arranged. Some will be going to Africa and more going to Haiti as soon as the ports are cleared.

We're moving (again)!!

2010-07-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

A Child's Hope Int'l, is pleased to announce that they will be moving from their current location to a new location only 15 minutes northeast of the Blue Ash "Factory". More details will be announced soon. An electrical and plumbing contractor is needed for some special work at the new location prior to completing the move. Also, donations of paint and supplies. Can you help? Please email your questions or offer to help to kah@achildshopeintl.org

Our exodus from Blue Ash to the new "Factory" will begin after the July 17 pack. The July 31, Aug 14 & Aug 28 packs will be canceled and then those guests invited to a Sept or Oct session if their schedule allows. At this time our plan is to have our first pack on Sat, Sept 11. And then our Grand Opening on Sat, Sept 25.

Thank you for all your support!

Haiti 5K results

2010-06-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Larry had the pleasure of attending the "check passing" at Oak Hills High School from the Haiti 5k. To the for left is Lyn Oliver who worked very hard to get all the details in place for the race....thanks Lyn! On the far right is Ann Ryan who had the original idea of having this event....thanks Ann! She came to the "factory" during our emergency Haiti packs and was greatly impacted by the entire event.

Channel 5 News was also at the "check passing". Ann expressed to them how she was told not to expect more than 150 runners, but that almost 400 runners and walkers showed up. She was told that they would most likely not raise their goal of $10,000, but they raised over $12,000!!! Ann mentioned to Channel 5 that the students and the staff of the high school as well as the district and many other supporters loved the project - it gave them purpose and a mission.

Hopefully many others will follow their lead.

Thank you to everyone involved with this event!

Kids Against Hunger aid group seeks home - Cincinnati Enquirer 6-11-10

2010-06-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

Relocation

2010-06-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

Kids Against Hunger "Factory" Needs a New Space

Popular Cincinnati program that feeds starving children must relocate

Cincinnati, June 9, 2010: People from Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Dayton love the Kids Against Hunger program and the "Factory". So much so, that they have produced over 3.5 million high protein meals with 10,000 volunteers in just 2 years.
Now just as the demand for more food for children has increased, the lease with the current building ends in August. As a result, A Child's Hope International and Kids Against Hunger must move to a new "Factory" as soon as possible.
The greater Cincinnati area has an above average abundance of vacant and available commercial property. For that reason, this very popular charity is optimistic that a property management company, business owner, donor or group will graciously help relocate the "Factory" with little or minimal costs. The basic requirements for the "Factory" are:
· 15,000 sq. feet with a dock height loading dock
· A/C, heated, clean, visible frontage with parking for 60 cars
· Preferably in the Blue Ash, Springdale, or West Chester central corridor

Neal Sundermann, founder of Cincinnati Commercial Realtors, is assisting this endeavor and can be contacted by brokers and agents with any questions.
Download the full portfolio of information here. Upon request, additional background information can be sent to interested donors. Send inquiries and offers to help to kah@achildshopeintl.org. A copy of the press release can be downloaded here.
Those interested are asked to consider a financial gift to help cover a property lease which may be an option. This may be done online, easily and securely at DonateNow. Specify Where Needed in the Contribution option. A long term, below market rate lease may be possible.
The current Kids Against Hunger "Factory" is located in Towne Center in Blue Ash, just 15 miles north of Cincinnati. The "Factory" is a former grocery store provided by the Kroger Company in support of A Child's Hope International - a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that serves the orphans of the world, the children in foster care and all hungry and vulnerable children. Kids Against Hunger is a program of A Child's Hope International. The Kroger Company has been an active supporter of A Child's Hope International for the past two years through the use of their store in Liberty Township and now the Blue Ash location.
Kids Against Hunger is the only program that feeds a starving child a high protein meal for just 25¢ a day. This incredible achievement (just 25¢ a day) has been accomplished through intentional efforts to enlist volunteers, minimize paid staff, maintain minimal overhead and keep fixed costs extremely low. Each volunteer that serves for just 2 hours can produce enough food to feed 1 child for 1 year. Through the generosity of the Kroger Company of Cincinnati and Berean Christian Stores in West Chester, countless children have lived another day.

KAH in Honduras

2010-06-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

Above is a picture of Pastor Lester Jones from Countryside Community Church in Lebanon. He is carrying one of the KAH boxes packed at the Berean Christian Stores "Factory" location in August 2009. It arrived in Honduras, February 2010. They love the food and want more!

Saturday May 22, 2010

2010-05-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a record pack!! 112,756 meals were packed with two fairly full shifts. We have now produced a total of 3,270,024 meals. So you will understand that local needs exist, Foundation Builders will be picking up 7,128 meals (full pallet) early next week for distribution in central Ohio and a large portion of that will go to a food pantry that is running low on food.

Italian Luncheon Benefit

2010-05-26T10:16:00.001-07:00

Thank you to everyone at Acosta for the donation of $811!! The staff of Acosta prepared an Italian lunch buffet for ALL the employees in the building. Employees paid $5 for a plate of food. All the food was donated by some of the staff. Great, simple idea!

A thank you letter from Honduras

2010-05-24T12:57:00.001-07:00

In case the letter is difficult to read, it states:

Dear Larry,

On behalf of Shoulder to Shoulder and the poor in Honduras, I would like to sincerely thank you for your donation of 6 palates of food. We recently tested the blood of several hundred children in our service area and found 80% to be malnourished. This is far and above the public figures that make the situation in rural Honduras seem not so dire. This problem in the young kids makes for permanent disability because the lack of brain development caused by malnutrition is something that cannot be recovered in later years. With the cost of food climbing all over the world in the last year, this situation is becoming even more severe for those that do not have the resources to help themselves. Thanks to you and your organization, the food that you have donated helps the children in their critical, formative years. You are making a lasting improvement in those that need it the most.

I have attached some examples of the people you are are helping.

Sincerely
Arthur J Ranz D.D.S.
COO Shoulder to Shoulder
Intibuca, Honduras
www.ShouldertoShoulder.org

Fundraising in Hard Economic Times: how one person’s story saves the lives of starving children

2010-05-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Fundraising in Hard Economic Times: how one person’s story saves the lives of starving children

Carrie Christos

Just how hard is it to raise $20,000? Ask Stephanie Janssen, who raised $12,000 and then another $8,000 for Kids Against Hunger, a Cincinnati based program that supplies nourishing, life saving food to hungry children here and around the world. At 25 cents a meal, the $20,000 Stephanie helped to raise provided around 80,000 life-saving meals to children. At the Kids Against Hunger “factory”, currently located in Blue Ash, Ohio, teams of volunteers pack four ingredients – fortified soybean, essential vitamins and minerals, vegetables and rice – into each Kids Against Hunger packet.

In November 2009, Stephanie witnessed this packing firsthand when she served as a chaperone for her church youth group. Seeing the excitement of the group as they packed, and impressed with how tangible the results were, she began to talk with another chaperone and friend, Joel Mortensen, about organizing a future pack. That evening, while the youth group enjoyed ice cream, they talked further and agreed to raise $12,000 for the pack. Later that night, she looked up Kids Against Hunger online, contacted Larry Bergeron, founder and executive director of A Child’s Hope International, the umbrella for Kids Against Hunger, and communicated her interest.

The first $12,000 was not difficult, she says. She found a donor willing to match $6,000, then both she and Joel agreed to each try to find six people who would donate $500, for a total of 12 donors to come up with the remaining $6,000. They found five donors of $500, and made up the rest with smaller donations. Those not able to contribute treasures were asked if they could volunteer the day of the pack and bring family and friends with them, or help raise money with her. The turnout of 200 volunteers at the first pack was amazingly inspiring, and at the first pack, the sentiment of both kids and adults was, “We have to do more, we can’t just leave it at this.” A second pack was arranged, one that would raise an additional $8,000 for a total of $20,000.

Stephanie believes that while anyone can raise money, the key to fundraising success is not in finding large donors or having experience, but in being excited about the cause and then personally sharing the message. Most people are not approached individually, she says. “When Cub Scouts sell popcorn, part of what they learn is that 7 out of 10 people asked will buy popcorn.” Similarly, when people tell their friends, neighbors or acquaintances, “I’m working on this project, I’m raising money right here in Cincinnati for this thing that I’m doing, can you help out?”, she has found that almost everyone will help out in some way.

In this economy, everywhere you turn these days someone seems to have their hands outstretched for funds. Individuals are bombarded with fundraising messages via email, direct mail, television, and radio asking for money for a special and albeit worthwhile cause. Stephanie’s personal approach especially paid off for the second pack, since she had exhausted many of the big donors she used for the first fundraising campaign. “Some can afford to do $5, some can do $500, many can do $20, $25 or something in between, but the most important thing is that they are asked personally.”

Another key to fundraising success is believing in the message. Stephanie is impressed with the amount of time that has been put into the research and development of the Kids Against Hunger food mixture, which was invented by Richard Proudfit in collaboration with Kids Against Hunger, Cargill, Pillsbury, General Mills, and Archer Daniels Midland. Designed to reverse the starvation process, help restore health, and improve a child's mental and physical alertness, it is sometimes the only food they will receive that day – or that week. Without this food, children in Haiti and other struggling areas often rely on “mud cookies”, full of dirt, vegetable oil, salt, animal waste and parasites, simply to stop the pain of starvation. She’s touched by the stories founder Larry shares with his packing volunteers, such as a recent trip to an orphanage in Haiti where he distributed food. “They may not have eaten for 3 or 4 days, and may not eat for another 3 or 4 days, but everyone waited patiently. There was no pushing or shoving to get food faster. Everyone waited their turn for their food and savored each bite.”

Back home, as the food pallets line up to be shipped to those in need, kids here can visually see how the dollars are being used. Parents love the opportunity for their family to go and do something together. So many families are so busy. “It doesn’t require a huge time commitment. You don’t have to organize your own pack, and you don’t have to contribute $500 if you can’t. You can come to the factory, pack for two hours and leave feeling inspired and knowing you’ve made a difference.”

For more about Kids Against Hunger, visit http://www.hungernomore.us

Creative Ways to Make a Difference....at any age

2010-05-06T11:59:00.001-07:00

Thank you to Phil (pictured below) who set up a "one man concession stand" at one of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy's basketball games. Due to his efforts, he raised enough money through sales and cash donations to feed 2 children for an entire year! ($250)

Also, a thank you goes out to the group of 12 boys who set up a "school store". They came in came to school early and sold school supplies (pencils, pens, paper, etc.) to students before first bell. Their efforts generated $160.00!

Finally, a big thank you to CHCA teacher Melissa Reisinger who challenged these young men to find ways to make a difference!

3 MILLION MEALS!

2010-04-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

Between the pack at Urbancrest Baptist Church on April 24th and the two food packing shifts on Saturday Arpil 26th, the volunteers packed a total of 135,432 meals. Sometime early Saturday afternoon we crossed the 3 million meal mark and KAH Cincinnati has now produced 3,063,744 meals for hungry kids all over the world!

Thank you to everyone has given of their time, talents, and/or treasures!

Fund raising success!

2010-04-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Recent fund raising success stories:

1. At a local school, 1st - 6th graders each raised $10 to feed 1 child for 1 month. Total raised = $2,000!

2. Last Sunday, a youth group sponsored an ice cream social and raised $250. Then the youth pastor sponsored a "Pie the Pastor" event and raised another $250!!

Thank you to all of you for supporting our mission of feeding starving children here, there, and everywhere!

Bowling & Golfing for KAH

2010-03-26T05:59:00.000-07:00

Please take note of these 2 fund raising activities, they promise to be fun and help raise even more funds & awareness of the Kids Against Hunger mission!

Reaching Out To Haiti from the Cincinnati Enquirer

2010-03-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

This article can be found in its entirety here. Videos and pictures can also be found by following that link.

Reaching Out To Haiti
Two months after the quake, hunger, illness and homelessness threaten to break a wounded people
Stories by MARK CURNUTTE, mcurnutte@enquirer.com •
Photos by CARRIE COCHRAN, ccochran@enquirer.com •
March 22, 2010

They slogged toward the airport, lugging suitcases or balancing mattresses on their heads, lured by the promise of help. They came by the tens of thousands.

Blank expressions on their faces, they hoped to get some of the food and water they knew was arriving daily.

They didn't.

Despite the crush of international aid and relief workers, many Haitians still get little or no relief two months after the Jan. 12 earthquake.

Instead, they've settled in crude shelters - fashioned from sticks, bedsheets, blue tarps and rust-streaked corrugated tin - that rim the airport's security fence........................

Child's Hope International, founded by a former Mason church pastor, Larry Bergeron, has assembled millions of high-protein meals in its Blue Ash "factory," a former Kroger grocery store, and shipped them around the world since its creation in 2008. Hundreds of thousands of them have gone to Haiti.

Bergeron, a member of Urbancrest Baptist Church in Lebanon, went to Haiti with three other church members last month to distribute 300,000 more meals. The 40-foot container, which he had been told had arrived in the Caribbean Sea port at St. Marc, instead had not gotten out of Florida.

He shipped to St. Marc in an attempt to avoid the indiscriminate tariffs slapped on aid by the Haitian government in Port-au-Prince.

Still, Bergeron borrowed 75 boxes of food he shipped late last year to a Clay City, Ky.,-based ministry with a Haitian mission.

Rethinking everything

One of the programs at the Children's International Lifeline center employs 20 women who make purses, aprons and clothing. In a room in a vocational school at the compound, women from the surrounding villages learn how to sew on foot-powered machines. They then graduate and join a manufacturing co-op that pays them a salary, a third of which goes into a mandatory savings account that allows them to buy the sewing machine.

"Otherwise, it's going to be an empty hole," said Don Curtis, of Clay City, who runs Lifeline. "We have to rethink how we do things; we have to help Haitian people make a better life for themselves. It has taken us years to get to this point. We had to essentially help bring up a new generation of Haitians."

Bergeron distributed 50 boxes of the borrowed food to the FOCAS-supported school in Calebasse. The remaining 25 boxes went to the Ebenezer Orphanage in the seaside town of Montrouis. It's run by a pastor and his wife, who have four of their own children. They've taken in 23 orphans and have struggled, since the earthquake, to feed them on a daily basis.

Bergeron, 61, visited the orphanage twice during his visit last month. The dirt compound lies behind a wire fence and a locked iron gate.

A church made from coconut leaves stands at the front of the property. A classroom and kitchen were built onto the back. Farther up the hill, the main house sleeps the family and children, as many as 16 on floor mats in a single room.

Bergeron spotted a vacant lot next to the orphanage and envisions a small farm that could teach the children agricultural skills and provide food for the orphanage. It could be landscaped to prevent erosion in heavy rains. An existing well could be dug deeper to ensure cleaner water. He planned to give the 40-foot sea container to the orphanage for housing.

The lot owner wanted $50 a month rent for the land for a guaranteed 10-year lease.

Bergeron, who has visited impoverished areas of Africa and Russia, had been to Haiti previously, and he has seen no situation as desperate as that in the Caribbean nation.

He focused on the possibilities at Ebenezer so as not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of Haiti's problems.

"We have to help people learn to help themselves," he said. "It took a long time to get into this situation. You have to start by trying to change the lives of children. You pick one project. It's almost like creating a firebreak to fight a forest fire. You draw a line and try to save some of the trees.

"I look at the level of brokenness and decay and think it might take 100 years to see a significantly better society."

Help Haiti 5K Run Walk

2010-03-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Help Haiti 5K Run Walk
Sunday, May 16th, 2010 3:00 p.m.
Oak Hills High School, Cincinnati, OH

Help Haiti - Run for their Lives

Join us Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 3:00 pm for a 5K Run/Walk and party
To benefit A Child's Hope International - Kids Against Hunger

Bill Hemmer - Master of Ceremonies
Featuring "The Menus" - Entertainment following the race

Register Online at GetMeRegistered.com

WHAT: 5K (3.1 miles) Run/Walk

BENEFICIARY: A Child's Hope International - Kids Against Hunger

WHEN: Sunday, May 16th 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Oak Hills High School, Cincinnati, OH

COURSE: 5K Course (just over three miles) begins and ends at Oak Hills High School.

RUN DIVISIONS: 14/under, 15-18, 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-59, 60-64, 65-69 and 70/over.

WALK DIVISIONS: 29/under, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70/over.

AWARDS: Top male and female runners and walkers. Age group awards to the top 15% of each run/walk division. Awards presented immediately following the race/walk.

AWARDS CEREMONY: Overall Winners will be recognized Immediately following the Race

MUSIC AND ACTIVITIES:

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

1:30 Registration and Number pick up begins

2:00 Oak Hills Band Birdfinder performs

3:00 Race Starts / D.J. Bill Dattilo

3:45 Bill Hemmer and Larry Bergeron

4:00 The Menus!!

Come early and stay for the day!

REFRESHMENTS: Willl be provided for all race participants after the race.

EMAIL ADDRESS: All Pre-registered entries that include a valid email address will receive an email confirmation of registration prior to the race and will receive their individual results via email.

PRE-REGISTRATION FEE: $15 without a T-shirt or $25 with a T-shirt. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by Monday, May 10th.

T-SHIRTS: Race T-shirts are optional. T-shirts are $10 each while supplies last.

RACE DAY REGISTRATION: Race-day Registration: $20 without a T-shirt or $30 with a T-shirt (while supplies last).

REGISTER ONLINE: Click here to register online at GetMeRegistered.com with a credit card through Thursday, May 13th. A small service fee will be added to your bill. This is the easiest way to go.

REGISTER BY MAIL: Register by Printing a PDF Race Brochure and Mailing. Printable Race Brochure (PDF). This is the cheapest way to go. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by Monday, May 10th.

LATE REGISTRATION and NUMBER PICK UP: Saturday, May 15th from 12-3pm at the High School. Race Day prices apply at late registration so if you know you are coming, register early.

REGISTER ON RACE DAY: Race-Day Registration and Number Pickup: begins at 1:30 a.m. at Oak Hills High School.

***** NO REFUNDS****

OAK HILLS HIGH SCHOOL: Oak Hills is located at 3200 Ebenezer, Cincinnati, OH. It is on the West Side of Cincinnate, West of Glenway between Werk Road and Bridgetown Road.

GOOGLE: 3200 Ebenezer, 45248 for directions from your location.

PARKING: Ample Free Parking available at the High School.

Register Today!

Still have questions? Call Greg McCormick at 513.652.6225 for more information

Register Online at GetMeRegistered.com

Fashion Fundraiser Helps Feed Haiti

2010-03-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

Fashion Fundraiser Helps Feed Haiti

Reported by: Larry Shields
Email: larry.shields@wcpo.com
Photographed By: Phyliss Ho
Photographed By: Larry Shields

NEWPORT, Ky -- High fashion helped feed hungry children all over the world this Saturday at The Syndicate.

The fundraiser, "Catwalk For Haiti," brought a slice of California culture to the Commonwealth.

Cincinnati native Jonathan Chia organized the event with his business partner Ashley Covarrubias. Their Los Angles companies Production Runway and Chia Media produced the event.

"A lot of people in Cincinnati have never been to a fashion show, so they really don't know what they get from their money," said Chia.

Each $20 ticket went directly to the Cincinnati charity "Kids Against Hunger," a program at Liberty Township-based, "A Child's Hope International."

"They send over rice, so two hours of your time, packaging the rice will feed someone for a whole year," Covarrubias explained. "So, by donating money and our time, hopefully we can feed a couple 100,000 people."

Chia says he got the idea for the show because he served as a solider with someone from Haiti.

"That kinda inspired me and Ashley to go out and do what we do -- which is fashion shows, but aim it a little bit towards helping out -- giving back to the community," said Chia.

The article and video can be found online here.

1,000,000 meals for Haiti

2010-03-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend,

We had to share this news with you because it is so amazing! With your help, over 1,000,000 Kids Against Hunger meals have been shipped or will ship shortly to the children of Haiti through the Kids Against Hunger "Factory" in Cincinnati.

We will cross this amazing milestone of 1,000,000 meals this Saturday morning, March 20 . You may hear the celebration where you live when the shouts go up from the "Factory".

These 1,000,000 meals have used over 72 tons of ingredients: vitamins, minerals, dried vegetables, soy protein, and rice.

Nearly 6,000 volunteer hours were required to produce this amount of food. Add to that the contributions by the Red Shirt Team and you have to say it's amazing!

Each of us can offer hope for the helpless in Haiti.
Find out more at: www.HungerNoMore.us

Did you know that just $10 will provide healthy food for 1 hungry child for 1 month?

10 for 1

That's all it takes. Just $10 to save 1 child from the pain of hunger. It is easy to signup online to help. A minute of your time will change a child's life for a month, year or whatever you decide.

All of us who serve the least of these are very thankful for your time, talents and treasures invested at the "Factory". Thank you!

Young people can make a difference

2010-03-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

Inspired by our last blog post, I thought I would post a handful of pictures of more young people who are making a difference. Each of the photos above display young men and women, who on their own initiative, decided to raise money for Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati. Each of them filled a collection box and gave 100% of the collection to KAH! Some of them shoveled snow for donations while some simply went door to door telling neighbors about KAH's mission, but bottom line, they all made a difference. They made a difference by providing the funds to feed starving children and are a great example for the rest of us. They have proved that you aren't too young to help...and likewise, you aren't too old to help, you aren't too busy to help, you aren't too tired to help, you aren't too "______" (you fill in the blanks) to help. We can all do something to make a difference.

Thank you again to the three examples above!

If you are familiar with who these three are, please comment below and tell us more about them! We'd love to hear more about their story of how they collected the donations.

Haiti Marketplace

2010-03-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

A HUGE thank you goes to Kathy Stauffer from Columbus, OH for her support of Kids Against Hunger! After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, she felt compelled to do something to help the people that were suffering. Desiring to make a difference, Kathy helped organize a fundraiser at an elementary school that raised $4,070, half of which went to Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati! The $2,035 contribution to KAH will purchase the ingredients to produce 8,140 meals, or enough nutritious Kids Against Hunger food packets to feed almost 23 starving children for ONE YEAR!!!!

Here's her story, in her own words:

The event was put together in just over four weeks. My family is not involved in the Roots and Shoots organization that is mentioned in the article. The day after the earthquake in Haiti, I was totally overwhelmed with the things I was seeing on the news. I prayed and prayed for the many people there. But, I also prayed if there was something else my family and I could do. I got on the internet and found Kids Against Hunger. I had never heard of it before that day. I also talked to a few teachers at my children’s school to see if they had plans to do anything. That is how I got hooked up with the Root and Shoots group.

I attended their meeting on January 22nd. As the kids brainstormed many ideas of how they could help, one girl said, we could put all these together and have a marketplace. Throughout the next week the adults decided we could take on this venture and the planning began. I wish you could have been there to see how the how Wickliffe School community came together to make this happen.

There was ANOTHER snow storm that had started a few hours before the event began but that did not stop people from coming out. As families entered the front doors there were signs about Kids Against Hunger, a donation box for consumables, along with the video you sent me trailed by a Kirk Franklin “Help Haiti” video. About ½ hour into the night, the drum circle came out and joined us at the entry so kids could participate in playing bongos and other drums together. It was quite fun. Those who entered the gym could bid on silent auction items such as art by local professional artist, restaurant gift cards and more. The silent auction alone made almost $1,000. There were a few rows of tables with handmade crafts, jewelry, t-shirts and more. There were a few Caribbean musicians playing next to the market place then a long row of dinner items that had been donated by local restaurants and stores. ALL the money made went to the fund.

Outside of the gym there was a bake sale, hot chocolate stand, face painting, a puppet show and story reading of Haitian folklore and some games. It took many volunteers. But, the night was a success. Many people want to “do” something because there hearts were filled with grief for the people of Haiti This event gave them a way to contribute.

A local newspaper wrote an article of the event, you can find the article here.

Thanks Kathy!

Larry's trip to Haiti - Feb 2010

2010-03-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

From ACHI/KAH Cincinnati's Executive Director, Larry Bergeron:

Dear Friend,

I just returned from a lengthy trip to various parts of Haiti to see first hand the destruction, the needs and how YOU have made a life saving difference in the lives of many children. We were able to serve Kids Against Hunger food that you provided through your donations or that you packed at the "Factory". Thank you!

The magnitude of the destruction is beyond what you can imagine. Although I expected to see a fleet of ships bringing food and supplies to the ports, there were only a few ships. Although I expected to see many cargo planes circling the airport to land, there were only a few planes.

Estimates say that it will take 1000 very large trucks, working 24 hours/day for 3 years to remove the broken concrete. Those trucks are not there. As such, one collapsed building after another remain as tombs for countless thousands of people.

We stored boxes of food in a damaged school in a village which had not received any food or water supplies since the earthquake. The Haitian Government reports that 48% of the children in this region die from the effects of severe malnutrition. And this was before the earthquake. All over this small country, acute hunger is becoming more of a nightmare than ever before.

Although the press and the media have moved on to cover other stories, please know that the crisis continues.

Here is how you can help:

Stop by any Fifth Third Bank and make a teller donation. Instruct them to deposit your tax deductible gift to A Child's Hope Int'l. All Fifth Third branch offices are prepared to help you. Send us an email of your gift amount and we will reply with a tax deductible receipt.
Give online TODAY through our secure web site service with electronic checks or credit cards at DonateNow

Click on Haiti Quake Relief for more information

Please email your questions about packing schedules and opportunities to our Volunteer Coordinator .

More than ever before, the children of Haiti need help and hope for the future

Pictures of Larry Bergeron's trip to Haiti can be found on KAH Cincinnati's facebook profile here.

Locals traveling to help in Haiti

2010-02-25T07:28:00.000-08:00

Locals traveling to help in Haiti
Agencies send people, goods
By Mark Curnutte

Five weeks after an earthquake leveled Port-au-Prince and killed an estimated 230,000 people, old wounds and broken bones are still bandaged with T-shirts and malnutrition and infections are ever-growing problems.

Three international relief agencies based in Greater Cincinnati, including one with a permanent presence in Haiti, will deal with those problems in the coming weeks.

Matthew 25 Ministries, based in Blue Ash, will send a 14-person medical mission team, including four doctors and four nurses, to the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince for nine days.

A Child's Hope International, based in Liberty Township, will send six-people to unload 300,000 meals, infant formula and diapers for distribution.

One of that group's destinations will be the Restavek Foundation - a Kenwood-based organization that fights childhood slavery in Haiti - which has an office and schools throughout greater Port-au-Prince.

The groups will carry donations, support and the volunteer hours of tens of thousands of people in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

"We are just a small part - you're talking about a large sea of humanity that is behind all of this," said Larry Bergeron, founder of a Child's Hope International, an affiliate of Kids Against Hunger.

More than 2,000 volunteers have packed 660,000 high-protein meals in boil-safe bags since Jan. 12 in a former Blue Ash grocery store, known as "the factory." The group has already shipped hundreds of thousands of meals.

Bergeron and four volunteers from Urbancrest Baptist Church in Lebanon will be in St. Marc, a city about 40 miles up Haiti's western seaboard from Port-au-Prince, to unload the shipment and truck it to a secured warehouse closer to the capital.

The goal, Bergeron said, is to avoid tariffs indiscriminately applied by the Haitian government to shipments coming into Port-au-Prince.

Besides the personnel, Urbancrest has raised almost $100,000 for Haitian relief since the earthquake. It contributed $40,000 to A Child's Hope International to buy rice and other ingredients, and the church sent 300 water-purification units to the impoverished nation.

"We see this as a long-term thing," said the Rev. Tom Pendergrass, Urbancrest senior pastor.

U Pull & Pay, an auto parts salvage yard in Carthage, bought a pickup truck in Florida for Bergeron's group, paid to ship it to Haiti and threw in several sets of tires and spare engine parts for it and other vehicles. Roads and streets in Haiti are deeply rutted and washed out, even in the best conditions.

"We certainly wanted to find something to do to help," said Mark Schaefer, U Pull & Pay president.

The Matthew 25 Ministries group left late last week and planned to begin visiting tent cities and orphanages over the weekend. It will be based out of a hotel about 45 minutes north of Port-au-Prince and will make day trips to treat "old wounds, broken bones that had been bandaged with T-shirts, infections, cases of malnutrition," said Dr. Eric Niemeyer, of Hyde Park Family Medicine and Christ Hospital.

Niemeyer, who has done relief work in Nicaragua, simply wanted to do some good where possible, he said.

Christ Hospital paid all expenses, including $3,500 in travel, lodging and food, for Niemeyer and fellow Christ physician Dr. James O'Dea.

"So many of the children in the orphanages have not had any care," Niemeyer said.

The group took exactly one ton of supplies, including splints, pain relievers, first-aid kits and surgical instruments.

The Restavek Foundation, founded by a former Haitian child slave, Jean-Robert Cadet, operates a feeding program for 5,000 people a day and is building semi-permanent classrooms for its more than 400 students.

Security walls are being rebuilt around its two-dozen schools to provide safe havens for children. Its Haiti office is in Petionville, a hillside suburb southeast of Port-au-Prince.

"We're working with our school directors to hire teachers and begin the process of resuming school," said Joan Conn of Indian Hill, the Restavek director, "so we can bring some normalcy back to children's lives."

The article can be found here.

Haiti earthquake response video

2010-02-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Brad Feldman for creating this video!

Haiti Shipment update

2010-02-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

Above is a picture of our first shipment bound for Haiti. Included in this shipment is 171,027 meals and 6 pallets of relief supplies (mostly water and diapers). Look at the photo carefully. You will see our ubiquitous yellow stickers on the pallets!

Our second shipment bound for Haiti left last Friday. This shipment of 228,096 meals and 8 pallets of relief supplies should arrive in Jacksonville, FL today and then will have a 5 day boat ride to Haiti.

We will have a 3rd shipment for Haiti leaving soon.

Food for Haiti

2010-01-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

From Sunday, Jan 17 through Saturday, Jan 23, a total of 7 extra packing sessions were held at the "Factory" in Blue Ash. Nearly 2,000 volunteers rallied to meet the needs of the children of Haiti and packed 296,336 meals! Over $80,000 has been donated to meet the budget of $150,000 needed to supply 600,000 meals and to ship all of the donated baby formula and infant items. To help us reach the planned amount to ship all of the food and supplies to Haiti, please visit our Donation page. Thank you!!!

On Jan 17, we sent our first shipment of 1,728 meals to Haiti via air. As you can see in the picture below, the truck has arrived today to transport the rest of the food.

KAH food in Swaziland

2010-01-24T18:23:00.000-08:00

Just got these photos from Swaziland, Tom Davis (Children's Hope Chest) is there now. Gotta love the writing on those boxes!

The KAH food is in Jumbo and Carike’s trailer which is driven to the care points. Mission Harvest reloads the food packets into barrels and then onto the ships. Barrels provide better protection for the food and can be used for other things once the food is gone. The stove is typical of the “kitchens” that you will find there.

Please visit Tom's blog here for a link to his pictures.

Haiti Relief News Coverage

2010-01-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

In response to the crisis in Haiti, we are in the middle of a week of emergency packing sessions. For more details of the packing sessions and items that are in need, please visit: http://www.achildshopeintl.org/Haiti.html

We have received some local news coverage that we wanted to share as well. Some may not be too familiar with what we do and why we do it, so please share these brief news reports. Thank you!

"Tri-State Woman Has Special Connection To Haiti" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q1v1SYqfs8

"Volunteers Prepare Donations For Shipment To Haiti" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNppNteWLi0

Cartwheel-a-thon

2010-01-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

We had to share this story from a great group of awesome young women in Lebanon that volunteered on Saturday Jan 9th:

Hello, my name is Peggy Hoffman. I am the gymnastics director and head coach at the Countryside YMCA in Lebanon Ohio. Kristy Meilstrup brought me the idea of having our girls go and help serve at Kids against Hunger. She also said it would be good to make a donation to the group. So I thought we would try a Cartwheel A Thon so the kids can raise the support. I gave them a letter about Kids Against Hunger and a form that they could use for their family and friends to pledge so much per cartwheel. It takes 500 cartwheels to make a mile. So each girl was trying to do 500 cartwheels a piece and they did! We had 12 girls doing cartwheels and had 2 more girls that helped raise money but could not do the cartwheels. They raised a total of $837.00! They did 6,000 cartwheels all together. We had a pizza party for them after they finished. They really enjoyed doing the cartwheel a thon and knowing they where helping to feed children. They had a great time packaging the food. I had them stand up in front of the other girls to tell about their experience and they all said they had fun and liked putting the food into the bags but the best thing was feeling they were able to make a difference in a child’s life. The story that they heard from the speaker really touched their hearts. They would like to come back and package food again. Thanks for doing this mission. You are touching so many lives not only the children you are feeding but also the people that get to come and help you fill your mission.

Thank you to everyone at the Countryside YMCA gymnastics team!!

KAH Cincinnati spotted in Swaziland!

2009-12-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

Check out this site: http://www.hopechestpartners.org
Click on the Africa link (left side of the screen)

Right around 20 seconds into the video on orphans in Africa, Vince starts to talk about the idea of what a "carepoint" is.....check out the stacked boxes in the video (on the right).

KAH Cincinnati shipped 840,000 meals to Children's HopeChest in July and hopefully we'll be able to ship more in February. As you can see in this video, the boxes you helped pack right here in Cincinnati, OH are making an impact at this Thembeni carepoint in Swaziland!

What a weekend!

2009-12-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

After 7 sessions (90 minutes each), 15 packing lines per session, and 1,600 volunteer packers....Christian Life Center Dayton along with KAH Cinci's "Pack at your place" team, packed 301,536 meals for needy children in Swaziland.

Thank you to each of the CLC Dayton leaders and packers as well as the KAH Cinci's "Red Shirt Team", you guys rock!

Since we began operations, KAH Cinci has now packed 2,139,912 meals.

We will be back at our Blue Ash "factory" on December 19 and then we will be taking a Christmas break. We will resume packing every other Saturday starting on January 9, 2010.

We hope you all have a great Christmas!
Thank you for all your help.

'Pack-a-thon' aids Guatemalan kids

2009-11-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati.Com » Local news
Last Updated: 6:46 am | Saturday, November 21, 2009

By Mark Curnutte • mcurnutte@enquirer.com • November 21, 2009
Article can be found online here.

BLUE ASH - Working two-hour shifts in teams, more than 600 volunteers Saturday assembled 200,000 meals for starving children in famine-stricken Guatemala.

From ages 3 to 85, the volunteers packed a high-protein mix of rice, dried vegetables and soy protein - one scoop at a time - through funnels and into plastic bags. They were boxed and stamped with a yellow sticker reading "Packed in Cincinnati, Ohio USA by volunteers who care." The next step is shipment by the organization Kids Against Hunger to the Central American nation.

• Photos: Pack-a-Thon

Entire families, corporate volunteers and nurses with international human relief experience were among those who worked the assembly tables in a former grocery store on Hunt Road in what organizers billed as a "pack-a-thon."

Devin Robinson, 47, a nurse at Cincinnati Children's from Burlington, scooped soy during a morning shift.

She came alone and wanted to experience the food end of humanitarian relief. She spent two weeks in 2008 working in a clinic and teaching first aid in schools in the South American nation of Peru.

"I wanted to see this and see if there was a way to make a connection," said Robinson, who plans to go back to Peru next summer with Project C.U.R.E.

Organizers hung a white board on a hook in the front of the space after a morning shift. In marker, it read 42,768 meals - the number packed in two hours.

Kids Against Hunger is a part of the Liberty Township-based A Child's Hope International, founded in May 2008. Lawrence Bergeron, former lead pastor at Mason's Hope Church, is its executive director.

"Our whole focus is the 'least of these,'" said Bergeron, who spent the day leading an information session for incoming volunteers in one corner of the building before they would go on the line. Then he'd announce a shift change over a bullhorn.

Volunteers washed their hands with waterless sanitizer and slipped on aprons, rubber gloves and hairnets. Packed boxes were sealed and stacked on wooden pallets. In the back, volunteers poured rice and other ingredients into large plastic containers that were moved to tables for volunteers to scoop.

The group has shipped its food packets to Appalachia, overseas and locally through the Freestore Foodbank. Organizers and a banner hanging in the former store - the Kroger Co. handed Bergeron the keys to the building and pays for all utilities and necessary upgrades - reminds people of their ability to make a difference: One volunteer working two hours can pack enough food to feed a child for one year.

"You could use a machine for this, but you would lose the human touch," Bergeron said. "It's great to see the community coming together, all faiths, all ages."

Keith and Lecia Holley of Loveland brought their three children - daughter, Karlin, 11, and sons, Ethan and Nolan, 8 and 6 - to work a shift as a family. They took their turns scooping ingredients into the bags, patting them flat by hand and packing them into boxes.

"It's a great family ministry," Keith Holley, 43, said. "It's a hands-on way to help the less fortunate."

Less fortunate, indeed: 52 percent of Guatemala's 13.3 million people live in poverty, according to the Latin America Herald Tribune. A government study released in February reported that 45.6 percent of Guatemalan children suffer from chronic malnutrition and that their physical growth falls below the average established by the World Health Organization.

Billie Kimbrough, an executive with the Kroger, volunteered Saturday with a co-worker.

"It's a really neat process," Kimbrough said of her first-time experience with Kids against Hunger. "When I see the tapes (in the orientation) ... No person should go hungry."

More information:
To learn more about A Child's Hope International and its Kids Against Hunger program, go to www.achildshopeintl.org or call 513-515-2611.

Chase Community Giving

2009-11-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

Please vote for A Child's Hope International (KAH Cincinnati) to be a receipt of Chase Bank's charitable giving. Thank you!!!!

Hometown Hero

2009-11-19T11:48:00.001-08:00

(from left to right: Larry Bergeron, Brian Ramstetter, Gary Crawford from IGA, Brian Thomas from 55KRC)

Congratulations Larry Bergeron (founder & director of Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati) for being named 55KRC/IGA's November "Hometown Hero"!

Larry was nominated by good KAH-Cincinnati friend, Brian Ramstetter. Being selected for this award earned Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati a donation of $550 from 55KRC and IGA as well as an on air interview on 55KRC last Wednesday!

For a recording of the interview from Wednesday, visit: 55kRC podcasts

Look for the podcast titled, "55KRC AM Show Archive 11/18/09 8AM Katherine Debrecht - Author, Chief Streicher and IGA Hometown Hero". Press the "Listen" button. To get to our interview, fast forward (the two areas pointing to the right), until the 14:29 mark. To stop fast forwarding, press the pause button and then press the same button (now it will be the play button). Brian Thomas continues to talk about Larry & KAH even after the interview until the 22:41 mark.

Pictures from the interview can be found here: 55KRC photo Album

Brian Thomas also mentioned KAH in his video blog ("Vlog") Wednesday. Go to: 55KRC Brian Thomas Vlog After a brief commercial then you should see "11-18-09 Vlog". He spends the first 60 seconds talking about Larry & KAH and then continues his political talk show.

For more information or to nominate any other deserving Hometown Hero, visit 55KRC Hometown Hero.

Search Institute / YMCA Conference

2009-11-06T10:03:00.000-08:00

Last night, KAH-Cincinnati in collaboration with the Search Institute & the YMCA helped 140 youth pack 41,904 in only 2 hours!! We had 14 lines running at one time...a big step up from our normal 4 lines at one time. Everyone did a great job, thank you to Duke Energy, Search Institute, the YMCA, and all the youth from around the country who packed the food.

One group there last night purchased 26 black tee shirts for their team – they were that excited. In fact, their leader asked if they could go home (to CA), raise funds and send the money needed for a pallet for Africa!! How cool is that? Many of the youth didn't want to leave and even stuck around until we were completely out of ingredients. Everyone chipped in and it was a great example of teamwork.

Donations go to food relief

2009-11-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

The Cincinnati Enquirer • October 29, 2009

A family has pledged $10,000 in matching funds to Kids Against Hunger for a special Thanksgiving effort aimed at providing hunger relief for children affected by recent natural disasters such as the tsunami in American Samoa.

If the nonprofit can raise $10,000 in donations by Nov. 21, the amount will be matched by the anonymous donors.

The money will then be used to purchase rice and other ingredients for food packets that will be assembled during four packing sessions on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

Kids Against Hunger is part of A Child's Hope International, Inc., an organization founded by Liberty Township residents Larry and Elizabeth Bergeron.

To make a donation, or to volunteer for a packing session, go to www.achildshopeintl.org/Thanksgiving.html.

Cincinnati Enquirer article can be found here.

Thanksgiving Event

2009-10-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Please note that the Sessions are nearly full - please register soon!
The plight of hungry children around the world does not take a holiday, hunger is relentless. The natural disasters of earthquakes and tsunamis in Indonesia and Samoa have left many children at risk. The extreme famine in Guatemala is responsible for the deaths of countless children who are starving to death. The list goes on. We can either tune out the cries of the hungry or do something about it using our time, talents and treasures as we give thanks for the blessings we have this Thanksgiving.

We are very excited to announce that we will be working with WorldHelp on a special humanitarian relief project this Thanksgiving season for the children at greatest risk right now. You are encouraged to be a part of this special Thanksgiving project through your financial help and your serving at the "factory" on Saturday, Nov 21, 2009.

The "factory" will have FOUR packing sessions; each session will have 13 lines of production allowing a total of 150 people per session to serve. This is a unique opportunity for your church, business, school, college, neighborhood, family and organization to serve others in great need.

Session 1: Arrive by 8:15 AM, Packing 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM THIS SESSION IS NOW FULL

Session 2: Arrive by 10:15 AM, Packing 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Session 3: Arrive by 12:15 PM, Packing 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM THIS SESSION IS NOW FULL

Session 4: Arrive by 2:15 PM, Packing 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

We are asking everyone to help financially - to make a personal sacrifice so that children may live. There are many ways to help from the TenForOne project, to fund raising ideas that you can start now. Many companies offer matching donations - does your employer offer matching donations? Let us know at KAH@achildshopeintl.org and we will share the good news with others.

Please help us with the funds we need to purchase the ingredients. You can do that conveniently and safely with our online donation service. Click on DonateNow and make the decision to make a difference.

*** Incredible News ***

One very special family has pledged $10,000 in matching funds to help feed starving children. They are encouraging you to give generously so that your gift will be doubled! Please donate today so that we can get these matching funds for the Nov 21 special pack at the "Factory". We need the funds now in order to purchase the food ingredients for that day. Follow this link to make a quick and easy online donation.

Blue Ash Opening Day!

2009-10-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that the "factory" has moved to a larger facility as of Oct 1. The new location is the vacant Kroger property in Blue Ash just off Kenwood Rd. The new "Factory" will allow us to operate more lines, more days,all with even more storage space. Thank you to the management and staff of Kroger for this incredible blessing of support.

Our first Blue Ash pack was last Saturday, Oct 3 and it was a good one! 33,696 meals were prepared in two 2 hour shifts! Thank you to all of our first time volunteer packers at our new location.

September 2009

2009-10-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

September 2009 brought our final packing events at the Berean Christian Stores warehouse in West Chester. Just in September alone, all of you helped pack 53,568 meals for starving children "here, there and everywhere"!

The Kids Against Hunger Factory has been operating at Berean Christian Stores since July 2008. Since then, over 1.5 million high protein meals have been produced. That effort required over 105 tons of ingredients and well over 3,000 volunteers working in 2 hour shifts. The demand for the food has grown worldwide sadly as the number of orphans and hungry children continues to grow.

All of us are extremely appreciative of the support and encouragement that Berean Christian Stores has provided to us since we opened. President Bill Simmons and his staff have been extremely supportive to the ministry feeding hungry children.

Did you pack this box that ended up in Swaziland?

2009-09-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

Another email & picture from Swaziland just came in this morning.

In Bheventi, the winter season is just now ending. When Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati's Larry Bergeron last visited, the Bheventi care point had 85 children, which was approx 12 km from the main road with no water and animals roaming free through the camp.

KAH - Cincinnati and A Child's Hope International has just been approved to send anti-parasite medicine to the area. Hopefully, these pills will go out with our next shipment. The children suffer greatly from parasites and worms that infest their bodies. Since most of the kids don't have shoes, their feet get cuts very easily and the worms enter their bodies. It is our hope to also provide a fresh water well to the area (approx $5,000).

Dear Larry

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to take some boxes of food to a new carepoint (not too far from Bheveni) who have asked us for help. This would not have been possible without the boxes of food you and your helpers packed and sent us. So thank you so much for it. I thought so much of you; I actually wished you were there at that carepoint with me to see those kids, hear some of their sad stories, and see the thankfulness in the eyes of the women who have taken the job of feeding those kids on their shoulders.

Attached is a picture of the ladies holding one of the boxes.

Blessings and love,

Carike

Swaziland Update

2009-09-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

The below photos are the latest from the mission in Swaziland. How wonderful to know that what was done months ago is helping today. These are not small servings are they?

The note from the pastor in the field serving these children:

Thank you for the food. It came just at the right time. We are going to be able to feed so many kids; from all nine of the Care Points we work with around Nsoko. This food is crucial for the health and nutrition of these children. Since receiving a similar food in the past, the nutrition of the children has improved significantly. Your generous contribution to the ministry here will enable hundreds of children to eat for several weeks. Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts, and the center of their bellies. Pastor Dlamini

From an 11 year old volunteer.....

2009-09-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

From an 11 year old volunteer, Alyssa:

"Kids against Hunger. It was a Saturday. My mom and I were checking out Kids against Hunger. I was so excited when I got done but then I realized that the kids who the food goes to only get one meal per day. And we get three, so I wanted to go back the very next day and serve some more."

Simple.
Selfless.
Heartfelt.
Effective.
Making a Difference.
Thank you Alyssa!

A Human Sundae = Clean Drinking Water???

2009-09-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the Children's Ministries of Christian Life Center in West Chester, OH for their fun donation! The kids were challenged by Cathy Hageman, their pastor of Children's Ministries, to raise $500 to provide clean drinking water for 10,000 kids in Nicaragua. To liven the challenge up a bit, Cathy promised to become a human ice cream sundae if the kids exceeded the goal. As you can see below, the kids raised a total of $1,185.07!! Enjoy the pictures below and thank you to everyone at CLC!

Swaziland delivery

2009-08-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

We have just received a great update from Swaziland on the shipment which left the US on July 4. The food is now there safe & sound! Although our KAH food will help, they are feeding 2700 children every day and do not have enough food to care for all the children at the care points.

From our local contact, Magugu in Swazliand:

Hi Larry,

Good news indeed, we have been able to see the containers delivered and offloaded in Swaziland. A big thank you to Martin for all his hard work and facilitating its really something that he does. Thank you to Larry and team for putting all this together, we have not touched the food until we get further instructins from Jumbo. I have seen and took some of the clothes and my kids and wife are not closing their mouths - they appreciate your help indeed. God bless you and forever increase you. It all went well and we are continuing to appreciate your commitment to serving this nation.

Saturday August 22, 2009

2009-08-25T07:43:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday (8/22/09) was a productive day!

Total meals produced reached 1,525,824, which means we came close to 6.5 pallets produced (46,224). All of that food was packed by volunteers from West Chester Church of the Nazarene in the morning shift and Countryside Nazarene in the afternoon shift. Six pallets of KAH food will go the mission they support in Honduras, called Cocal Gracias.

We also made a shipment today of 7,128 meals (1 pallet) which went to ServeCity and Living Waters in Hamilton.

Remember that we are closed until Saturday September 12th.

Thank you to all our Aug 22 volunteers!

Recipes for kids against hunger food

2009-08-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Kid tested recipes from kids at Appalachia's Happy Church using the Kids Against Hunger food packets we send to them:

Basic Recipe
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 can condensed soup (10¾ oz)
1 cup cooked meat

Taco Rice
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 can tomato soup
1 cup cooked taco meat

Pork and Rice
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup cooked pork

Chicken Rice
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup cooked chicken

Ham and Rice
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup ham chunks

Smokies and Rice
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 can tomato soup
1 8oz. pkg. smokies sausages

Beef and Rice
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 can cream of mushroom
1 cup leftover chuck roast

Tuna and Rice
1 KAH packet
6 cups water
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can tuna

Additional Tips
*try adding a pkg. of frozen mixed vegetables
*after it is fully cooked, if you need to keep it warm for awhile, place mixture in a pan in a 200°oven and cover with foil
*if you place it in the oven, try some toppings, like shredded cheese,crushed potato chips, crushed taco chips, french fried onions in a can
*if you add 10 cups of water, it makes a nice soup

Update from last week's activities....

2009-08-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

We are about as close to 1.5 million meals as we can get!!! Total production to date at the end of production on Saturday (8/8/09) was 1,486,728 meals. Below are pictures of some of the volunteer packers that helped prepare almost 30,000 meals last Saturday.

Our next packing event will be Sat Aug 22. Two churches, Countryside Community and West Chester Nazarene will be teaming together to pack for the mission in Honduras that Countryside supports. This is a great thing when two churches come together for the least of these. They have been working as hard as they can on fund raising. Please pray for the pack and for the funds to come in - for the children in Honduras.

Our next packing day after that will be Sat, Sept 12.

The Great American Yard Sales is scheduled for Sat, Sept 19 from 9 AM to 3 PM. Brandy Griffis is point person. The location is the building located on Rt 22:

8432 Old 3c Highway
Maineville, OH 45039

We hope to get a key and alarm code for the building so that we can begin to move items into the building in advance. PLEASE let Brandy know that you can help with many aspects of this even now at bgriffis@fseinc.net. She needs some people to help coordinating now. We will need a lot of help on the event date so let Brandy know if you can do that please as well. Samples of KAH food, t-shirts for sale, baked goods sales, collecting money, etc.... This event will be one of our major and much needed fundraisers for the year. Your help is greatly appreciated. If you have items you would like to donate to be sold at the yard sale, please drop off at the "factory" Aug 22 or Sept 12.

Please pray for the food being shipped to Swaziland. We have sent 4 shipping containers of food for these kids, the good news is that the food is in Swaziland. Prayers are needed to quickly get access to the trains so the food can be delivered to the care points.

Great American Yard Sale - Sept 19

2009-08-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

Just heard this morning that the building at 8432 Old 3c Hwy Maineville, OH 45039 has donated their location for the Great American Yard Sale Event on Sat, Sept 19!

All proceeds will go to Kids Against Hunger-Cincinnati, as you know our donations are down and we very much need this financial help. We will need lots of help the day of the event as well as preparing in advance.

For more info on the Great American Yard Sale to benefit KAH-Cincy, please visit http://www.achildshopeintl.org/YardSale.html More details will be forthcoming, but please contact KAH@achildshopeintl.org if you would like to help in any capacity.

July 25, 2009

2009-08-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday July 25, there was a big storm in the AM that knocked the electricity out for a bit. Emergency lights came on and volunteers sat in the dark while the computer projected the training video! Paul eventually got the lights on (they take time to reset) and we were back in action! We had several groups from local churches as well as a group that came to celebrate a birthday party, together we packed 31,536 meals for starving kids around the world. Thank you to all who volunteered! We are only 43,944 meals from hitting the 1.5 million meal mark!!!

July 18, 2009

2009-07-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to the youth group from Milford Bible Church in Pennsylvania who conducted their own packing session on Saturday! All by themselves they packed 20,088 meals! We had to close the team down at 11:30 AM, otherwise they would easily have packed 3+ pallets! Not only did they help with a financial donation to pay for some of the ingredients they packed, but they also set up and cleaned up the factory!!! Thanks guys!

More good news...... 10 pallets of food (71,280 meals) destined for the Jean Cadet Restavek Foundation in Haiti left the warehouse this afternoon. This shipment will arrive at Mission Harvest America in Jacksonville FL late tomorrow!

Saturday's packers from Milford Bible Church

Monthly Newsletter & Twitter

2009-07-17T07:30:00.001-07:00

Stay tuned to your Inbox for our first monthly newsletter coming your way! If you are not on our email list, you can join here: http://www.achildshopeintl.org/KAHList.html

KAH-Cincinnati is also on Twitter!
You can follow us here: http://twitter.com/KAH_Cincinnati

July 11, 2009

2009-07-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

On July 11, 2009 Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati celebrated our one year anniversary at the "Factory" located in the Berean Christian Stores natonal support center. To celebrate we had a very successful packing session with 35,372 meals prepared!

It has been quite a year! Over 3000 volunteers used 100 tons of ingredients to make over 1.4 million meals! And hundreds of donors helped by giving as generously as they could.

All of this would not have happened without the help of the leadership and staff at Berean. Working together, we witnessed a miracle of multiplication.

Thank you!

June 27, 2009

2009-07-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 27, 2009 was another great day at the factory! A total of 31,968 meals were packed and ready to be shipped!! Both the AM & PM sessions were full of volunteers ready to make a difference in the lives of children around the world. The packing was a bit more spirited in the afternoon as the PM packers were trying to prepare more meals than the AM session did. The AM packers did win by preparing 17,280 meals.....in 2 hours! Thanks to everyone that served on Saturday, you are appreciated.

Are You Comfortable?

2009-06-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

From Kids Against Hunger - Cincinnati's founder and Executive Director, Larry Bergeron.....

The heat of summer is here. Your A/C is on, cool drinks are stocked up and all kinds of food is available.

Now imagine being a 5 year old child in sub-Saharan Africa or Haiti or India. It is 100˚, there is no water to drink and your last meal was 3 days ago. In many cases, to make the suffering worse, your parents are gone. Bad summer movie? Boring summer TV re-run? Hardly. It is a never ending horror show.

30,000 children will die today all over the world from hunger. Requests for help from our Kids Against Hunger Factory are rising weekly.

We do not see this kind of suffering in America. Many would say we are blessed. We are. And with the blessings come responsibility.

Together we can help alleviate suffering this summer. You can Volunteer at the Kids Against Hunger Factory and you can Donate Now online.

None of the Kids Against Hunger food ingredients are donated, discontinued, defective or distributed by an economic stimulus bill.

Did you know that we can feed a hungry child for just 25¢ a meal, only $10 a month – just $125 a year?

Ask your church to help with a special offering or a donation from the mission or compassion budget.

You can be a blessing.

Will you? Sam & Esther are waiting.

Blessings,
Larry Bergeron
A Child's Hope International
Liberty Township, OH 45044
www.achildshopeintl.org
www.achildshopeintl.blogspot.com

Dante Alighieri

2009-06-24T12:56:00.001-07:00

He who sees a need and waits to be asked for help is as unkind as if he had refused it. -Dante Alighieri, poet (1265-1321)

Submitted by: Donald Johnson, frequent KAH volunteer and Pack 929 Assistant Cubmaster/Popcorn Kernel
Thanks Donald!

Fund Raising ideas

2009-06-17T12:36:00.001-07:00

As many of you already know, KAH-Cincinnati runs entirely on donations by amazing people like you. None of the ingredients are supplied by the government, donated by stores, neither are they discontinued or defective. All of the food is high quality, fresh and purchased at prevailing market rates.

Just as critical as the time you donate to help pack these life saving meals, so are the financial donations we use to purchase the ingredients for these meals. The financial donations are also used to ship these meals around the world.....and around the corner.

KAH-Cincinnati along with A Child's Hope International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable corporation recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. As such, all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

There are many ways that funds can be raised and here are some ideas to get you started. Can you think of others? Let us know by leaving a comment! The best idea of each month gets a free Kids Against Hunger tee shirt! To win the monthly contest, please leave your suggestion with as many details from your personal fund raising experience in the comment section at the bottom of this post. Please include your email address so we can contact you if you win! For examples of how other groups have help raise donations for KAH-Cincinnati, please visit here.

1. Get the small Kids Against Hunger boxes for use in school classrooms, laundry rooms at home, etc. They are only $1 each. Show your family, friends and neighbors and ask if they will help feed a child.
* One box filled with coins can feed over 400 children!

2. Keep one of the larger KAH boxes in your church or office with a small sign and encourage people to make frequent deposits when they see it; when they collect $54 in a box send us a check and start all over.
* One box of food will feed 216 children – and it is only $54.
* Keep a count of the boxes at the display so people know that they are making a difference

3. Sell items that are not needed in your home – make room for other things!
* Sell on ebay, Craigslist or a local consignment store and ask them for help after you share the KAH story with them
* Need help with selling on ebay – let us know!

4. Have your sports teams get involved
* Ask your Upward Bound basketball team to collect 25¢ for each rebound that their team catches or 25¢ for every base hit in Little League, for every blocked soccer goal, etc...

5. Submit an application to your Mission Committee at church for support to KAH
* Bring your missions pastor to the "Factory" to see what happens and why this is such a great program for people of all ages – family friendly ministry

6. Apply for matching funds at your place of employment – specify A Child's Hope International (a 501c3 company) as the recipient of your gift and of your employer
* Ask your employer for a company day (i.e. Live United) and come to the "Factory" having raised funds in the office

7. Collect unwanted gold jewelry and bring it to the "Factory"
* We will collect and sell as part of the Melt Down for Kids Campaign

8. Get some people together for “Sack It”
* Each person pays for one 50 pound sack of rice (an important ingredient in what we pack) on the day they pack – they buy it at the door and take it to their packing lines for processing
* Set up a really cool “Sack It” display in the church lobby or office – have sacks of rice with signs and a table for people to sack it for just $20 – they are buying rice for your team to pack

9. Start by sponsor a child for $10 a month
* that is what costs to feed one child with this program

10. Have your church VBS program support Kids Against Hunger – the theme is Kids Helping Kids
* We have great promotional material for you to use.

11. Ask Child Sunday School classes to conduct a 25¢ drive to help hungry kids
* then ask the adults in the church to match 4:1 – for every 25¢ the kids raise, the adults pay $1

12. Encourage everyone you know to use Goodsearch instead of Google on the Internet
o See http://www.achildshopeintl.org/Fund.html for details

13. Have a Kids Against Hunger party at your home sharing the needs of children and then asking for ideas on how your guests can help – many will ask what does it cost?
o Show them the Sam & Esther video on our DVD or web site and then ask them to help

14. Show pictures of children, tell your friends that we can feed that child for $10/month - can they commit to doing that?
o give them a KAH magnet for their refrigerator

15. Host a family fun night, inviting the families to donate to KAH the amount they would have spent taking their family out to dinner. Some might give the “fast food” amount and others the “sit-down dinner” amount
o Have some KAH displays around, show them the Sam & Esther video

16. Have a huge yard sale with others in your neighborhood, office or church and tell people that all proceeds go to helping starving children
o people who stop by and hear why you are doing this (HAVE BIG SIGNS) will give and not negotiate the price

17. Ask the local pizza store to donate 25¢ for each pizza sold – promote their business and see what happens
o Place a sign and poster in their store

18. Ask the local grocery store if you can help bring grocery baskets to the cars of people when they leave the store
o People will ask why you are doing this service, give them a flyer on KAH and tell them you want to help starving kids who never see grocery baskets
o BUT do not ask for money

19. Offer to walk your neighborhood dogs
o Tell your neighbors why you want to help hungry kids and see what happens

20. Have a Kids Against Hunger birthday party
o Instead of gifts ask your guests to bring a donation for a hungry child
o Instead of spending money for gifts for unneeded items, buy a box of food in someone’s name for Mothers Day, Christmas, Graduation, etc

21. Have a KAH tee shirt party before you come
o Have everyone pre-order and purchase their KAH shirts and wear them so others ask what that means

22. Have a KAH Bike Swap: For anywhere from $5 to $50, bring your bikes to sell at a special KAH location. If you want us to sell it for you, pay us just $5

800,000 meals on the way to Swaziland

2009-06-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

At this time, we have approx 800,000 meals loaded on three containers in Florida getting ready for Swaziland. It is urgently needed. Recent reports from the World Health Organization show Swaziland as one of the worst locations for critical food relief.

In recent weeks we have received additional requests from other two other groups for Swaziland orphans. This website http://www.youngheroes.org.sz will show you some of the background on the situation there. At this time, we are partnering with a Adventure in Missions (AIM) and Children’s Hopechest in Swaziland. This current shipment of 3 containers will need to be repeated this year.

Saturday June 13, 2009

2009-06-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

Production on Saturday June 13, 2009 was right at 35,000 meals (5 pallets)! This took KAH Cincinnati to 1,344,168 meals produced. With the shipments made from KAH Cincy to Florida for Swaziland you have now shipped a total of 1,176,768 meals. What is actually going to Swaziland (with the help of KAH - New Hope who donated 40 pallets of food) is just about 850,000 meals in three containers.

Thank you to Bill, Don and Neal for making the trip to Dayton to pick up more supplies!

Thank you also to the Gibson family who have volunteered to help as new shift leaders!! If you are interested in serving as a shift leader, please vist: Shift Leaders

The factory is open for both morning and afternoon shifts on June 27th and July 11th.

Thank you to all our volunteer packers on Saturday!!!

Swap It This Weekend to Feed the Forgotten

2009-06-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

From "Swap It This Weekend To Feed The Forgotten! - www.LovingTheLeast.blogspot.com

Ok everyone...it's the weekend! We all know what that means - time for some fun, right? May I ask you to consider doing things a little bit differently this weekend? As you enjoy time with your friends and family please remember that there is an urgent food crisis in Uganda right now and that you can DO something about it this weekend!

This is not meant to be a guilt trip of any kind but an opportunity for us to creatively find ways to give food to these families who are hungry and weak as we begin our weekend full of energy and well-fed. Thanks to Children's Hope Chest we can all take part in bringing meals to people who desperately need them - what a great way to spend a weekend! We get to Feed The Forgotten.

I know...there may be many of you out there like me who have already given financially to this and other projects and are feeling like there might not be much left to give. But since we can provide a meal for only $.14 for someone in Uganda I suggest we swap something we have planned for this weekend in order to feed these precious, hungry people. Are you in? Here are some ideas:

Who has plans to go out for lunch or dinner this weekend? Would you consider swapping your meal to Feed The Forgotten? Get this: The $30 dinner that you swap can provide 214 meals for Ugandans! (When you swap your meal please remember to note "Feed The Forgotten" in the notes section.)

Who is planning on shopping for new summer clothes this weekend? Would you consider swapping one of your items to put food in the bellies of hungry people? Giving up that $25 shirt will provide 179 meals for people in Uganda!

Whose children are anxious to do their first lemonade stand of the year? How about talking to your kids about swapping their profits from the lemonade they sell to Feed The Forgotten? One $.75 lemonade can feed 5 children a meal. What a great way to show your children that they CAN do something too!!

Who is planning on paying a babysitter so you can go out this weekend? How about swapping babysitting services with a friend so that you both can donate the money you saved to Feed The Forgotten? A $40 savings in babysitting can provide 285 meals for Ugandans!!

Who is looking forward to that Saturday morning coffee at the coffee shop? How about swapping your $4.00 coffee drink for 29 meals for hungry people? It doesn't take much!

Who has plans to catch a movie this weekend? How about swapping one movie ticket (about $9.50) for 68 meals?? Hard to believe that sacrificing one movie can give so many people food!

Who is planning a trip to the local ice cream shop? How about swapping your $10 ice cream visit to fill up 71 people with a meal?

We CAN do something and we can do it together this weekend! As you give (being sure to identify "Feed the Forgotten" in the notes section) please pray for these people who are suffering and have such tangible needs. It's humbling that God chooses to use US to be His hands and feet. These people will NOT be forgotten this weekend!!

May 30, 2009

2009-06-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Another exciting Saturday at the "factory" on May 30! Two shifts producing 4 pallets (28,512 meals). We should note that a team from Bethany UMC worked the morning shift. Bethany held a KAH benefit dinner theater event a little over a week ago to support the packing they did on Saturday. Thank you to everyone at Bethany UMC!!!

The inventory in Dayton (almost 80 pallets of food - 570,240 meals) will begin to move to Florida this week on its way to Swaziland.

Total meals produced by KAH Cincinnati reached 1,316,520 meals as of the end of production on May 30th!

Bergeron focused on food relief

2009-05-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Dayton Daily News
May 21, 2009

Bergeron focused on food relief
The non-profit charity also deals with adoptions, orphan care, foster care and humanitarian relief.

By Katherine Ullmer
Staff Writer

DAYTON — Larry Bergeron, former pastor of Hope Church in Mason, now works part-time as a hospice chaplain between Dayton and Cincinnati to support his family.

But his passion is his nonprofit charity, A Child’s Hope International, which focuses on adoptions, orphan care, foster care, and humanitarian relief.

Part of that relief is the international campaign called Kids Against Hunger. Richard Proudfit, an entrepreneur in New Hope, Minn., started Kids Against Hunger in March, 1999. Eighteen states now have satellite food packaging sites. Ohio has satellite offices in Dayton and West Chester Twp.

The West Chester Twp. satellite, located in a warehouse of the Berean Christian Stores at Exit 19 along Interstate 75, serves the Cincinnati to Dayton area. It has fed children in Appalachia, Wilmington, Africa (44 tons of food shipped) and Haiti, Bergeron said.

Bob Dixon, 45, an ordained Baptist minister/general contractor, works the regional food packaging division of Kids Against Hunger out of a small area of a 65,000 square-foot building donated by Advanced Machinery, at 2412 N. Gettysburg Ave.

“I’ve always had a need to help people,” Dixon said.

A general contractor, he was ordained at the Second Baptist Church in Piqua in 2004.

He learned about Kids Against Hunger about a year ago from “a fellow going back to Uganda.” Proudfit, the founder of Kids Against Hunger, helped him set up his operation.

They’ve had donations from churches, Walmart, Meijer and private companies to pay for food packet ingredients, he said.

Dixon said they need donations of money and materials to repair leaks in the roof and renovate other parts of the building for more space. They also need volunteers/organizations to help hand package the food.

Twice a month they package food packets with a specially formulated mixture of white rice, fortified crushed soy, dehydrated vegetables and a chicken-flavored 21 mineral/vitamin powder, he said. One package can provide six nutritionally-complete servings at a cost of only 23 cents per serving.

They can bring a mobile packaging unit with supplies to a school or church, Dixon said.

Thus far they have packaged and shipped 100,000 packages to Haiti and 100,000 to Swaziland, Africa, he said.

They hope to fill another 100,000 packages to put in Ohio food pantries so people laid off from work can be sure of well-balanced meals. He’s been talking with Catholic Social Services about that project, he said.

Students from The Mound Street Academy on Washington Street, and Youth Works at the Dayton Job Center helped out recently, and a group of Boy Scouts from Englewood packaged food May 9, he said.

He’s been trying to get his message out about the program by going to a different church each weekend and also has talked to the Red Cross, Dayton’s mayor, and various organizations.

He can be reached by calling (937) 567-4035 or by e-mail at Bob@kids againsthunger.com.

Story can be found here.

KAH & Epiphany United Methodist in the news!

2009-05-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Help Epiphany feed thousands on Sunday afternoon

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – You can help feed thousands of children if you come to Epiphany United Methodist this Sunday afternoon. Epiphany's Serving Gladly Committee will bring all of the supplies and equipment to the church and turn it into a “packaging satellite” for one afternoon. It is to aid the delivery of a specially formulated rice-soy casserole to starving children and their families in the USA and around the world. One package provides six nutritionally-complete servings.

An assembly line will be formed to measure and place all of the ingredients in packages. Church members have been traveling to the West Chester Kids Against Hunger warehouse to participate, and during their last work day there, they packed 14,000 meals.

The meal ingredients are formulated by food scientists to provide a rich source of easily digestible protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins needed by an undernourished child’s body.

The food is also acceptable to the broad diversity of ethnic tastes and religious differences around the world. The food offers all 9 of the essential amino acids required for complete nutrition, something that can’t be said about other typical food relief sources such as rice or Kids-Against-Hunger-3 beans alone. It is also very simple to prepare, requiring only 6 cups of boiling water to make a complete meal.

The public is invited and encouraged to lend a hand and learn more about the mission of Kids Against Hunger.
Kid’s Against Hunger at Epiphany
April 19
1-3:00 PM
http://www.epiphanyumc.org

Original story can be found here.

May 16, 2009

2009-05-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

What a great day at the "factory" last Saturday!
- 49,342 meals were packed for the Jean R. Cadet Restavec Foundation (almost 7 pallets in one day!)
- Crossroads Community Church brought 50 volunteers as part of their Go Cincinnati event
- For the first time, we had an on site bake sale and generated $108 to help pay for all the ingredients used in the day's packing! Thank you to Cynthia, Susan and everyone who helped!
- The Sack Slavery campaign has already netted $1000 for this pack
- The Cincinnati Enquirer was on site taking pictures

All the food this month will go to the work in Haiti with The Restavec Foundation, one more pack this month on May 30.

Training Video - take 1

2009-05-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Check out our first attempt at a training video! Narrative and/or audio to follow, but thought I would share this version in the meantime. Hope it helps!

May 2, 2009

2009-05-11T07:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all our May 2 volunteer packers!
Total production on May 2 was 32,140 meals which brings our total production to 1,238,882 meals. We also made local shipments on Saturday to Serve City (Hamilton) and Foundation Builders (West Chester).

On May 2, we also made a shipment of 15 pallets to KAH Dayton which will finish out the two 40' ship containers going to Swaziland. KAH Cincinnati has contributed 299,376 meals to the Swaziland shipment. The shipment going to Swaziland will total 555,984 meals (78 pallets). One pallet will contain clothing.

“From the Pit to the Palace”

2009-05-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

Watch the Biblical Joseph go from the pit to the palace!!!

The Bethany United Methodist Children’s Choir and a full drama cast will present:

“From the Pit to the Palace”

Dinner Theater Performance in the Bethany UM Church Family Life Center

6388 Cincinnati Dayton Road
Liberty Township, Ohio 45044

Saturday, May 16
Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Performance: 7:00 p.m.

To reserve your tickets, call the church office 777-4448 by Friday, May 15!!!! (Leaving a message by THURSDAY will also work.)

Tickets cost $8/adult, $4/child 10 & under, $25/family maximum.

The money raised from this event will go to Kids Against Hunger.

Center Pointe's Student Ministry

2009-05-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Such a great idea from Center Pointe Christian Church's Student Minister, Steve Poston...

I wanted to ask you how much it costs you for one of the boxes that you use to ship the food packs? The reason is that our student ministry is going to sort of adopt Kids Against Hunger as a ministry that we support....What we're going to do is use the 3 empty boxes that I got from you when my group came and use them as a giving display. Students will be able to come in and give an offering in the box anytime they come to our programs. Every time we get $54, we'll tell them they just bought another box of food and we'll bring that money to you. What I would like to do is for every box of food we fund, I want to buy an empty box from you so that we can build a display wall to show as visual for what they are accomplishing.

After 3 months of this Student Ministry program, here's another update from Steve....

It’s been very successful so far. We place it the 3 box pyramid giving display on the front of our student center stage and leave it there. And then build the wall of boxes on the side of the stage. So far, 3 months, we have seen our students contribute over $600 and fund 11 boxes of food! Every time we get enough for a box, we send it and add a new box to our wall. Each time, we mention the total number of meals that we’ve provided and the number of kids that feeds for a year, it makes the impact of their actions very tangible and understandable.

Thank you to everyone involved with the Student Ministry at Center Pointe Christian Church! You are making a substantial difference in the lives of children around the world!

If your church or youth group would like to participate in the same program, please contact us at: KAH@achildshopeintl.org

Lady Bugs & Kids Against Hunger

2009-04-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lady Bugs!
From one of KAH's most creative friends...Laura Weinbeger :-)

Trying to encourage the Upward Basketball* 1st &2nd grade girls team I was helping to coach, I challenged the “Ladybugs” that for every rebound they got during their eight game season, I would donate a quarter to KAH, so they could feed a child with each rebound. Having a daughter on the team nicknamed “the Haitian Sensation” gave Kids Against Hunger an even more significant part of my heart—and the hearts of her teammates. During the 1st game, a couple of girls asked me “How many kids are we feeding so far?” At the end of the game, that was the biggest question by all the girls (I think that game they had 18 or something).

My husband encouraged me to invite the parents to match what we were doing, and we had several offer to do so—but all the parents were enthusiastic about their girls playing for something more. In the second game, the girls had 37 rebounds!!!! A couple of parents laughed that maybe they’d have to just make a donation at the end of the season because a quarter a rebound might get pretty expensive. I happened to share with a pastor from another church—who had an older son playing Upward—the girls’ enthusiasm for feeding starving children by getting rebounds, and he and a family friend both wanted to bless the girls’ efforts by donating generously. That generosity served to encourage the girls even more!! We had a few rough games, but the girls continued to ask how many kids they were feeding—even helping me keep track of rebounds during the games. One player and her brother were assigned to do a Random Act of Kindness by their school. Both chose to donate their allowances that week to our team’s KAH fund.

Through seven games, the team had amassed 159 rebounds (some of these girls were playing basketball for the very first time!!)!!! In their final game, they had 45 rebounds, to bring the total to 203 rebounds!!!!! I think there are a few donations still to come, but so far the girls have raised $276.75 – or 1,107 meals!!!

I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of these girls and their beautiful enthusiasm for making a difference! Several other coaches liked the idea and at least one other team did the same.

*Upward Basketball is a Christ-centered basketball program in which every child is a winner. All players have equal playing time and there is a devotion in every practice and a half-time devotion in every game. The kids receive stars after each game signifying “best offense,” “best defense,” “best sportsmanship,” “best effort,” and my favorite—the white star, which represents “Christ-likeness.” Obviously, the “Ladybugs” was a team full of “white star” young ladies!!!!

Project Handclasp

2009-04-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

KAH Team,

I'm pleased to inform you that the Project Handclasp (PH) component of Continuing Promise 2009 (CP09) on USNS COMFORT will contain 200 pallets of KAH meals. PH made all of them available for distribution in Haiti (1,425,600 total servings). 160 pallets from Minnesota are staged for onload on COMFORT tomorrow and 40 pallets from Ohio are slated for delivery to COMFORT tomorrow (PH coordinated with Mike Lloyd, Larry Bergeron, and Donald Curtis on this short-fused opportunity).

PH high-nutrition meal initiatives and the PH-KAH partnership are depicted in the sampling of photo/video links below. They are included especially for those who haven't seen them before.

The partnership of all involved is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,
P. C. Brown
Director, U.S. Navy's Project Handclasp
________________________________

First PH "MILLION MEALS" initiative for Haiti/U.S. relief mission (Sep
08):
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=64359
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=64358
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=64138
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=39886

Sampling of pictures of the devastation in Haiti:
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=64060
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=64061
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=64042
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=64041

PH "MILLION MEALS" initiative in the Asia-Pacific region. This
component of MERCY Pacific Partnership 2008 (PP08) featured the U.S.
Ambassador to the Philippines, Navy Fleet Commander for the Western
Pacific, and PP08 Mission Commander. PH provided 380K High Nutrition
Meals in that U.S. outreach.
http://picasaweb.google.com/padgettoflouisville/CDOFeedingOperations?authkey=WDGtsZ9-CjU

PH "MILLION MEALS" initiative in Latin America - CP08 (Pacific)/BOXER,
etc.
http://www.southcom.mil/AppsSC/images/uploads/1III1I1213616763.JPG
http://www.navy.mil/management/videodb/player/video.aspx?id=11113 -
Video, CP08 in Peru
http://www.navy.mil/management/videodb/player/video.aspx?id=11111 -
Video, CP08 in Peru 2

PH "MILLION MEALS" initiative in AFRICOM - APS 07/FORT McHENRY, SWIFT,
etc.
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34744
________________________________

USNS Comfort

2009-03-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

An email from our executive director, Larry Bergeron, on Friday March 20 2009 at 7 PM:

Friends, this is an amazing story. We are in the process right now TONIGHT of shipping 40 pallets of Kids Against Hunger relief to the children in northwest Haiti. The US Navy ship, USNS Comfort (see below) was planning on taking 160 pallets of humanitarian relief to Port au Prince. We had a last minute opportunity to get 40 more pallets on the ship – free shipping! Right now, a truck is en route to get our supplies and then heading off immediately for the US Navy shipyard in Norfolk, VA. The ship will offload by helicopter around April 10, 2009.

This shipment (our contribution) was not planned or anticipated even a few days ago.

Why are we doing this? 50% of all children die before they reach the age of 15 because of hunger, malnutrition and related causes.

Our food costs for the 40 pallets are approximately $70,000. Shipping costs to Norfolk is $2,000. Sounds like a lot ~ but what is the worth of a child today?

We need your help financially, please let me know if you can help or go to http://www.achildshopeintl.org/DonateKAH.html

Want to know more about the children of Haiti – see http://achildshopeintl.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-is-restavec.html

Larry's trip to Haiti

2009-03-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, our Executive Director and founder, Larry Bergeron, made a trip to Haiti. While there Larry helped deliver and serve the Kids Against Hunger food packets. Following are excerpts from his trip.....

Well team, I just got back early this AM from Haiti. We were at the NWHCM for a day (where we were last Sept before the Haiti Pack-A-Thon) and elsewhere around Port au Prince. As with NWHCM, the poverty is staggering all over the island and the sheer magnitude of the debility can be overwhelming.

At a tent meeting over the weekend, the people walked for miles (many down from the mountains) to come and even sleep on the floors. They sat on wooden benches and many ate the Kids Against Hunger packets along with special treats that were prepared (they butchered a cow while I was there and boiled it).

A small aqueduct ran by the mission which was fed from the mountain rains. In one part of the small stream (2 feet wide), children were using it as a bathroom

On Sunday night, a woman showed us her 1 month old son named Job. She asked us to take him as she could not care for him any longer. She could not nurse him and there was not enough food for her other children. She felt it best to let him go so he might survive. Lifeline asked if she would want to keep him if she could feed him. As a result, she will get KAH packets on a regular basis now. More food is needed than we can possibly imagine.

.....

I have about 20 or so hand sewn bags (pocketbook sized) crafted by some of the women at the mission in Haiti. They are trying to learn a trade (sewing) and get about ½ of the proceeds back to them. The other ½ is used for the supplies, operating expenses for the mission, etc. The also use the proceeds to pay for the foot pedal sewing machine (non-electric) that the women eventually are given.

A Child's Hope International has paid for the bags so that the mission has the money now. The plans are to sell these at the "Factory" on Saturday to those interested. The women have been oppressed, abused and are struggling to feed their children and to stay alive. I see these bags as a way to help them overcome the injustice.

They are priced from $20 - $30.

.....

Friends, many insights last week at NWHCM and several other outposts on the island.

* One child had a badly swollen belly (hunger). Note her hair color (reddish blonde) – the protein is leaving her hair from severe malnutrition. The internal parasites are awful.
* The other girl was worse than the first – yet note the smile on her face.
* At the care point kitchen, the 3rd girl (pink crocs) was getting her Kids Against Hunger meal for the day on her dish –a frisbee
* The mission compound was on a hillside in the mountains.

Sadly, the death among children is not abating at all. There are no gardens to speak of, 85% unemployment, no infrastructure, and more orphans than before. The presence of the UN forces has stabilized the crime rate. They were very obvious all around the capital city.

Cité Soleil (Sun City in English) is a very densely populated shanty town located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Most of its estimated 200,000 to 300,000 residents live in extreme poverty. The area is generally regarded as one of poorest, roughest, and most dangerous areas of the Western Hemisphere's poorest country; it is one of the biggest slums in the Northern Hemisphere. There is little police presence, no sewers, no stores, and little to no electricity. Bullet holes are as common as flies. Not wise to travel in the area without UN troops.

1 Million Meals

2009-03-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

During the second shift on Saturday, February 28 2009, KAH - Cincinnati went over 1,000,000 meals produced...we actually got to 1,009,966 meals!!! To celebrate we shared a cake with the afternoon volunteers. Please stop and think of what we've been able to do together. In less than 10 months, we have been able to provide a life sustaining meal to 1 million children. Just think of what we'll be able to do when we have even more stable financing, more shift leaders and a dedicated packing facility. With your help, we are just getting started.

Please vist the KAH-Cincinnati website (www.hungernomore.us) to learn more about what we do and the availability of volunteering as a packer. With the increase in volunteers, we've made changes to the "flow" of outgoing and incoming packing sessions, re-organized parts of the "factory", and changed the time of the afternoon packing session. Thank you for all you do to feed the least of these.

Stay tuned for details of our Executive Director Larry Bergeron's trip to Haiti last week where he was able to deliver and serve the same food you helped pack.

Morning packing session volunteers

Afternoon packing session volunteers

The last 3 weeks....

2009-02-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

KAH - Cincinnati is approaching 1 million meals. With all of your help, since last April, we have now packed 979,510 meals!

"The factory" has been pushed to it's limits on a couple of occasions over the last three weeks with packing sessions of 70-80 people. We are very thankful for everyone's selfless attitude to feed these hungry children. We still are in need of a dedicated location that we can use for our packing sessions. With a dedicated location, we will be able to host more regular and bigger packing sessions. Along with a location, we are looking for more people who would be willing to serve as a shift leader. The only requirements are that you have visited our packing sessions a couple of times and that you have a heart to serve. We don't take any of our volunteer packers or shift leaders for granted and appreciate you all! Thank you so much.

More food has been shipped out! For the first time, on Feb 23, we were able to send 216 meals to starving children in El Salvador. We hope to send even more soon.

Saturday Feb 7

2009-02-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

What a great group at the "Factory" on last Saturday. Many were there including Taft Elementary School.

We produced almost 4 pallets and have now produced a total of 911,254 meals since we started last July. At this rate we should reach 1 million meals near the end of the month.

It was a big week with food leaving the factory... including the Ethiopia shipment as well as a small shipment going with a team who are leaving to work at the NWHCM on Friday.

Papa John's Update

2009-02-12T08:26:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone for your support with our Kids Against Hunger/Papa John's promotion!

The results are in and we are happy to announce that we helped bring in $1,039 worth of business for Papa John's. Within the next couple of days Papa John's will be sending a check to KAH for $207.88!! Hopefully everyone enjoyed their pizza :-)

At 25¢ per serving, just by eating pizza, you have helped fund approx 831 meals! With this success, we have been invited by Papa John's to do this again...so stayed tuned, we'll probably wait a couple months and try it again. Thanks again!

We have lift off!

2009-02-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

The plane carrying medical supplies, a newborn incubator and 10 tons of KAH food, left Dayton, OH at 3:30 PM EST today! The plane is scheduled to land in Addis Ababa on Friday.

We hope that we will be able to make this flight a few times this year. Thank you for everyone's support.

For more information on this airlift and the crisis in Ethiopia, please visit here or visit here to see an update on our partnering organization that will be receiving the food in Ethiopia.

Saturday, January 31

2009-02-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning, January 31, Roberts Academy from Cincinnati was at the "Factory", and along with the afternoon volunteers, packed 4 pallets of food!

Roberts Academy is starting fund raisers for KAH and one will be JEANS DAY. There are 100 staff at the school and 675 students. Thank you to everyone at Roberts Academy!!!

Morning volunteers from Roberts Academy

Afternoon volunteers

Thank you to everyone for all you do!!!