Mississippi College volunteers help fight food insecurity during ‘Rise Against Hunger’ effort

Student volunteers at Mississippi College package meals to be distributed to the world's most vulnerable through Rise Against Hunger.

Student volunteers from the School of Business, the School of Nursing’s Department of Public Health and the Department of Kinesiology at Mississippi College are collaborating to package meals and help individuals in underserved countries “Rise Against Hunger.”

Their goal is to raise $9,000 and recruit 150 volunteers to prepare 20,000 meals on the Clinton campus on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

Dozens of MC staff and students will package dry goods into bags that will be weighed, sealed and stacked into boxes to help communities and individuals with high rates of food insecurity.

“Rise Against Hunger” is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable.

“Rise Against Hunger provides volunteer-packaged meals and other assistance, often through school-feeding programs, to support nutrition, education and health for children and families facing hunger,” said Sara Kimmel, MC professor of management and sponsor of the School of Business Service Club. “RAH also partners with local leaders to implement sustainable agriculture and income-generating projects that support long-term solutions to food security and empower communities to become self-reliant.”

Janie Sigur, a senior marketing major from Slidell, Louisiana, said she is excited to participate in the packaging event this spring through the American Marketing Organization, a student academic organization at MC she helps lead.

“’Rise Against Hunger’ is a great cause,” Sigur said. “There is a need for food and the fact that the MC community can help make an impact is amazing.

“I would encourage other students and staff at MC to participate. Volunteering is a great opportunity – not only will you be helping the cause, but also meeting new people and gaining experiences.”

Kimmel said MC’s “Rise Against Hunger” effort provides an opportunity to call attention to John 12:8.

“All acts of love done in the name of Christ Jesus are worthy and important,” she said. “We don’t know where the meals we package will land until after they are delivered, but we do know our hands are the last to touch these meals before they are prepared for the children and families who will be nourished by them.

“Every financial gift, every gift of service is important.”

Donations to “Rise Against Hunger” are tax-deductible. For more information or to volunteer, click here or email Mary Ellen Stewart, Public Health club sponsor, at mestweart@mc.edu; Carol Lee, Kinesiology club sponsor, at cjlee1@mc.edu or cbarnes@mc.edu; or Kimmel at kimmel@mc.edu.