Christian hunger relief organization Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) announced that it has more than doubled its planned meal shipments to famine-affected regions of East Africa. FMSC has sent 10,820,736 meals to the region - more than twice its original goal of 5 million meals, declared this past July. After the recent tally, the Twin Cities based nonproft reports it has already successfully delivered more than 4 million meals to the Horn of Africa countries of Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan and Ethiopia—and that another 6.7 million are in transit and expected to arrive by early 2012.
“Thanks to the generosity of our donors near our Minnesota, Illinois and Arizona packing sites – joined by donors across the country – we have been able to more than double our original goal,” said Executive Director Mark Crea. “Together with our loyal volunteers and expert distribution partners, we thank God for the safe arrival of FMSC food in the Horn of Africa.”
FMSC maintains a food delivery success rate of 99.97 percent, even in the volatile Horn of Africa. Violence and kidnappings by Islamist militant groups have caused unrest and insecurity throughout the region, making food assistance difficult for relief groups.
Feed My Starving Children has three main nonprofit distribution partners in the Horn of Africa: Convoy of Hope, Global Aid Network and Reach Now International. Most of the 10 million meals have gone through these long-term partners, to people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and Somalia.
“Our partners are simply the best at what they do,” said Crea. “They are experts at getting food into difficult places.”
Also included in the more than 10 million meals are two shipments sent through Qoryoley Development Community, an organization founded by Sultan Aliyoow, a Minneapolis Somali tribal leader who led fundraising efforts in the Twin Cities Somali community to send more than 500,000 FMSC meals to his homeland.
Sultan’s first shipment of 272,000 meals arrived in the northern port city of Berbera Oct. 23. His family and personal contacts distributed them to Somali refugees. Sultan’s second shipment of 272,000 meals is in transit and should reach Somalia by early 2012.
FMSC continues to partner with organizations that are committed to long-term development in the Horn of Africa. They also consider the long-term health of starving people and provide not “filler” food, but specialized nutritious formulas which actually rehabilitate the starving.
“We have the perfect food, specifically designed to rehabilitate malnourished and starving children,” said Crea. “We will continue to get it in the hands of the hungriest in the Horn of Africa, and in all the countries we serve.”
In other recent news, Feed My Starving Children recently was awarded its 7th consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, placing it in the top 2% of charities rated for integrity and efficiency. “Only 2% of charities we rate have received at least 7 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Feed My Starving Children outperforms most other charities in America,” said a letter from Ken Berger, Charity Navigator’s President and CEO in early November. “This ‘exceptional’ designation…differentiates FMSC from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.”
