I am still overwhelmed by our Oct 1, Neighbors Helping Neighbors event. On Saturday Oct 1, over 400 volunteers came together to fight hunger in our local community. We conducted 2 shifts for 2 hours each. At the completion of the second shift, we had packaged and donated 104,136 meals for Second Harvest Food Bank of the Big Bend.

100% of the meals that we packaged will stay right here in our local community to help our neighbors in need!

It is my goal, hope, desire to conduct several of these events in our local community each year. I really do believe that I, with your help, will be able to provide one million meals a year for our local food bank, Second Harvest.

It was so wonderful to see families and work associates from all over our community standing side by side to help our neighbors in need. Currently 20.6 % of all children in Leon County live in food insecure homes.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported on the event :

"Take a cup of rice, add some spices, beans and a heaping helping of "woohoo!" and you've got a meal.

It was a cheerful, lively environment as more than 400 volunteers from around the community came to Godby High School on Saturday morning and afternoon to help make more than 100,000 meals for a community effort called Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

The volunteers worked in two, two-hour shifts, creating high-protein meals of rice and beans or macaroni and cheese, Bonnell said. Each meal is fortified with soy protein, nutrients and vitamins, and are non-perishable with an extended two-year shelf life.

It was an active bunch Saturday at Godby. Volunteers didn't just pack bags with ingredients. They danced, moonwalked and cheered each other on with a shout of "woohoo!" One whoop would set off another throughout the cafeteria, keeping the energy high. After the meals are all boxed up, they will go to America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend.

Stephanie Kilham, ASHBB food resource manager, said the meals will be used for their backpack program, which provides a bag of food for more than 300 children in Leon and Gadsden counties every weekend.

"One in four children in the Big Bend is hungry," she said. "These meals from today will ensure that they are fed. It'll be one more item we can add to the bag to make sure the meals last the whole weekend."  

End of Story

THANK YOU TALLAHASSEE for making this such a 

wonderful event!

One question that I was asked by almost everyone in attendance is, "When are we going to do this again?" I have created a new website that shares the story of why I am doing this new project, with who and a schedule of upcoming events.

Please visit www.hope2thehungry.org for all that information.

I think one of the sweetest things that we all witnessed at the event was seeing families working together. Moms and dads and children of all ages side by side packing meals. I know there were several offices that brought their whole staff to help our neighbors in need, but also as a team building exercise. There was not a frown to be seen anywhere!

This event was hosted by the Godby High Football Team and Godby FCA. The Godby players packed... keep everyone in supplies... as they danced and sang and entertained us all as we packed meals.

The day was kept upbeat thanks to Amanda James cranking out tuneshttp://www.ABJamesDJ.com. Amanda volunteered her time and talents to this event. I highly recommended Amanda for any DJ needs you might have. She is awesome!!!

Here is my ask for anyone and everyone that reads this newsletter:

1- Share with others about this project - www.hope2thehungry.org

2- Commit to be a part of the next event - I currently am working out the logistics of when and where that will be.

3- Give financially so that others may be able to come to our next event.

4- Help me plan and promote our next event.

This was a $25,000 event. Our goal was to package 100,000 meals, each meal cost $0.25. This was a huge undertaking BUT we did it! I know we can do it again! We actually packaged 104,136 meals!! Although we did not break even on this event financially as I had hoped... it was well worth it and I know it is an investment in this new effort for our community.

I plan to go back to Haiti in just a few weeks to oversee the completion of our latest clean water project. I am also in the process of moving the children at our Kay Espwa Orphanage at Gonaives into a new location. I received a very substantial gift that will allow me to add onto our school in Gonavies and then relocate the children into dorms at the school. This is a much better situation than the home that we have been renting. I am so excited when we received the funding to make this project happen.

We are still feeding around 3500 children daily in Haiti.  When our newest water project opens , our 11th,  over 100,000 Haitians will have access to clean water through these 11 projects.

As they say in Haiti,  "Anpil men, chay pa lou." - "With many hands, the load is not heavy." I want you to know that just as we have worked together these past several years in Haiti that we will also join hands to combat hunger in our community.

I am so blessed and overwhelmed by your support.... TOGETHER we are making a difference and literally saving lives... and we can have fun while we make a difference.

Be well and God bless you all,

Scott