Teamwork: Highland Springs Residents Pitch In for Kids Against Hunger
September 3, 2015
Dallas, TX—By the numbers, a charitable project performed by residents of Highland Springs retirement community was a tremendous success.
165 volunteers worked in 30-minute shifts on August 24. They measured ingredients, sealed packages and boxed highly nutritious, life-saving meals to support the worldwide humanitarian relief organization, Kids Against Hunger.
The team created 17,928 meals immediately ready for shipment to children nearly 1,400 miles away in Honduras, according to Pastor Jamie Bruning. She serves as the Pastoral Ministries Coordinator at the Erickson Living retirement community.
Highland Springs and its Interfaith Advisory Council (IAC) sponsored the activity, contributing a combined $4,000 to the project.
And they accomplished all of this in just five hours.
The meaning behind those efforts, though, provided motivation for participants.
"It was an amazing day and a true labor of love," stated Pastor Bruning. "We literally had residents who wanted to stay beyond their scheduled shifts because they were having fun and knew the importance of what we were trying to achieve."
The Allen Kiwanis Club Foundation served as a valuable partner. The area group purchased supplies, bought equipment and took responsibility for shipping the meals following the event.
Pat Mullins served as one of the volunteer coordinators. A retired social services professional from Plano, she has lived at Highland Springs for eight years.
"As the last box was sealed, we were literally grinning because we were amazed that our goal of 16,000 meals had not only been accomplished, but surpassed," stated Mrs. Mullins, a member of the IAC. "It demonstrates that wonderful things can happen when the power of volunteers is unleashed for a fantastic purpose."
The mission of Kids Against Hunger is to significantly reduce the number of hungry children in the United States and throughout the world.
According to the organization, their meals have been formulated by food scientists to provide a rich source of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins needed by children. The food also accommodates the broad diversity of ethnic tastes and religious customs around the world. The meals are easy to package, keep for long periods of time and require only boiling water to prepare.
For more information, please visit www.kidsagainsthunger.org.
About Highland Springs: Highland Springs is one of eighteen continuing care retirement communities managed by Erickson Living. Located in North Dallas, Texas, the scenic 89-acre campus is home to more than 790 residents. Highland Springs is the ideal greater Dallas retirement destination offering a true sense of community, convenience beyond compare and a sensible financial structure.
