Airmen aid Stop Hunger Now

Published Oct. 28, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Heather Stanton
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- The mission: to help stop hunger for the people of Afghanistan and to keep them warm throughout the winter.

The people: approximately 200 volunteers from Seymour Johnson and the Goldsboro communities.

The Seymour Johnson and Goldsboro communities gathered Oct. 24 at the MERCI Mission Center in Goldsboro to prepare more than 115,000 rice- and soy-based meals and thousands of pounds of winter clothing for shipment to Afghanistan.

The idea for this mission transpired about between Rev. Billy Olsen, Pine Forest United Methodist Church pastor, and the Seymour Johnson chaplains as a way to bring together members of the base and local community. With the help of the MERCI Mission Center, an outreach program of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, and Stop Hunger Now, an international hunger relief organization, the mission became a reality.

"Our hope is that the food and clothing will send a message to the Afghani people that America is not going to give up and abandon them," Reverend Olsen said.

This was not the first event the community supported to help the people of Afghanistan.

"The first event back in March served (sent food) to two different refugee camps outside of Kabul (Afghanistan)," the reverend said. This time around, clothing was added to the mission to involve more people.

Many volunteers who helped during the March event, came back to support the mission a second time.

"I volunteered for the previous event in March and it was a success," said Airman 1st Class Rhodora Santos, 4th Fighter Wing command section knowledge operations manager. "We were able to package great amounts of food in such a short period of time. When I saw they were doing the packing event again, I knew I wanted to help out. I liked that they were sending not only food this time around, but clothing also to people who really need it."

After preparing the food and clothing for shipment, the Denton Program will be put to use and the items will be sent to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, via military transport.

The Denton Program allows private U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on U.S. military cargo planes to transport humanitarian goods, such as clothing, food, medical and educational supplies, and agricultural equipment and vehicles, to countries in need, according to the U.S. Aid Web site, www.usaid.gov.

Once in country, U.S. military personnel secure and transport the food and clothing to Trust in Education in Kabul, who will distribute the items to those in need.

"Trust in Education is a U.S. non-profit organization, helping to establish and build schools in Afghanistan," Reverend Olsen said. "Trust in Education already has established credibility with local Afghan government personnel, which should help clear the way for the food and clothing to be distributed."

Though a date has not been set, there are already plans in progress for another large-scale packing event for spring 2010, according to Chaplain (Maj.) Randall Jamieson, 4th FW senior Protestant chaplain. This time, plans are being made to collect food, clothes and medical supplies to meet the continual needs of the Afghani people.

"This event served as an opportunity for the base and community to touch the hearts and minds of the Afghan people and to promote peace to those who are affected by war in this region of the world," said Chaplain (Capt.) Antonio Rigonan, 4th FW Catholic chaplain.