MESA, Arizona—Oct. 7, 2015—Eleven Mesa Community College (MCC) athletics teams recently took time out of their busy schedules to participate in a service project at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), a non-profit organization based in Mesa which sends volunteer-packed, nutritious meals to 70 countries worldwide. The students packed a total of 275 food boxes in two hours, breaking the previous record of 252 in the same time frame. The 275 boxes represent 59,400 meals, enough to feed 162 children for a full year.
Participating in these types of projects is one of the ways MCC coaches instill pride in their students not only making their school better through academic and athletic achievements, but by making a difference in the world around them.
“It is great for our athletes to see what it is like for those not as fortunate as them," said Drew Guarneri, head MCC women's soccer coach. "It was nice to see the teamwork the Thunderbirds displayed to help kids in need."
Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. FMSC has tackled world hunger since 1987. The meals are specifically designed to reverse and prevent malnutrition and are used in schools, orphanages, clinics and feeding programs to break the cycle of poverty.
“We are so excited about the record-breaking number of boxes packed by the MCC athletes. We are grateful for the passion they have to feed starving kids around the world,” stated Janine Skinner, Development Advisor for FMSC.
MCC students occupied all the filling tables, serving as label and bag people and box runners. After about an hour into the project, the folks at FMSC realized that MCC students might be able to break the record for filling boxes.
Once the FMSC workers notified the student athletes that they were on pace to break the record for filling boxes, their competitive spirit took over. A loud roar of encouragement rang out across the warehouse and food bags were packed in record time.
"It was a great opportunity to spend time with my teammates and players from other Mesa teams," said cross country athlete Samantha Miller, "you always feel great when you help kids in need."
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Contacts
Dawn Zimmer, 480-461-7892, dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu
Sally Mesarosh, 480-461-7283, sally.mesarosh@mesacc.edu
About Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for its service-learning, civic engagement and innovative educational programs, which include university transfer, career and technical, workforce development, and life-long learning. Host to 40,000 students annually, MCC offers more than 195 degrees and certificate programs at its two campuses and additional locations. MCC’s student body hails predominantly from the East Valley of Phoenix and includes Veteran, American Indian and International students who enrich the learning experience. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success providing the education and training that empowers MCC students to compete locally and globally. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, MCC is one of 10 colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District. The District also includes the Maricopa Corporate College and two skill centers. For additional information, visit mesacc.edu.
About MCC Athletics
MCC has one of the top two-year athletic programs in the nation. In 2014, MCC finished fourth among more than 400 schools in the National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) Cup, a compilation of team success in national championship events, and had 18 individuals and seven full teams, recognized as all-academic by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). More than 60 student-athletes will continue their careers at four-year institutions. Additional information about MCC’s athletic programs is available online at http://athletics.mesacc.edu.
About Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and we ship these meals to our distribution partners. FMSC meals have reached nearly 70 countries around the world in our history. For additional information, visit Feed My Starving Children.
Mesa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) http://www.ncahlc.org, 800-621-7440.
The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an
equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.