A child dies every six seconds from malnutrition and related illnesses according to reports by the World Health Organization. St. Louisans are invited to help address this critical need at a community event on October 15 and 16 hosted by The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, a not-for-profit working to eradicate malnutrition and preserve the planet through plant science. Bill DeWitt III, president, St. Louis Cardinals is serving as honorary chair of the event. World Food Day to be held this year on October 16, marks the founding of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization and is designed to increase awareness, understanding and informed, year around action to alleviate hunger. On Friday, October 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Danforth Center will commemorate World Food Day by engaging over 1500 volunteers to package more than 200,000 rice/soy protein meals for critically malnourished people in sub-Saharan Africa. Adults and children (as young as seven, with a parent) are invited to be part of volunteer teams working in an assembly-line formation to put together the ingredients into a packet that feeds up to six children. The packets will then be sealed and delivered to malnourished children and adults living in villages in sub-Saharan Africa.
Details can be found at www.danforthcenter.org/world