Newswise — WASHINGTON (September 1, 2011) - More than 30,000 children under the age of five have perished in Somalia in the last two months as a result of the famine that has stricken the country. With the tenth anniversary of September 11th approaching, the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) wants to bring a global focus to its annual Commitment to the Community day and has decided to address one of humanity’s basic needs—adequate and quality nutrition. GW SMHS is pleased to be partnering with the DC chapter of Kids Against Hunger to provide 60,000 meals to feed the famine-stricken families in the Horn of Africa.
More than 500 first and second year students, faculty, and staff—broken into a morning group and an afternoon group--will be scooping, measuring, and bagging meals of rice, dehydrated vegetables, soybeans, and 21 vitamins and minerals to be sent to the Horn of Africa, with a percentage going to DC soup kitchens. Funding for these meals is provided by the White Coat Initiative, an alumni-supported fund that provides first year medical students with their white coats at the start of each school year.
WHEN: Friday, September 9th, 2011 8 a.m. to noon 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Charles E. Smith CenterGeorge Washington University 600 22nd Street, NW Washington, DC 20037
WHAT: The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences Commitment to the Community Day in which students, faculty, and volunteers will put together 60,000 meals for Somalis suffering from the famine.
WHO: 500 students, faculty, and staff from the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
**If you are interested in attending this event, please RSVP to Anne Banner at [email protected] or you can call 202-994-2261.**
About Kids Against Hunger:Kids Against Hunger’s mission is to significantly reduce the number of hungry children in the U.S. and to feed starving children throughout the world. Our approach to achieving the eradication of world hunger is the packaging of a highly nutritious, vitamin-fortified rice-soy casserole by volunteers and the distribution of those meals to starving children and their families worldwide.
The food formula was developed by General Mills, Cargill, and Pillsbury scientists especially to feed starving kids under the age of 5 years old. There are 6 meals in each bag and one meal contains over 20 essential vitamins and mineral to help each child survive. This package has been distributed to local food shelves, disaster areas, and over 40 developing countries.
The Kids Against Hunger’s International Headquarters office is located in New Hope, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis. In 2010, volunteers at more than 80 Kids Against Hunger locations packaged over 40 million vitamin-fortified rice-soy casserole meals for children and their families around the world and around the corner.About the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences:Founded in 1825, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) was the first medical school in the nation’s capital and is the 11th oldest in the country. Working together in our nation’s capital, with integrity and resolve, the GW SMHS is committed to improving the health and well-being of our local, national and global communities.
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