10/06/11 kn/kb

HAYS, Kan. -- World hunger is a dire situation facing our world today. The numbers are staggering. Nearly 1 billion people go to bed hungry every night, and nearly 25,000 people die every day from hunger related issues.

"The question on everyone's mind is, 'With a problem so big, what can I do?,' " said Kelly Nuckolls, El Dorado junior and student coordinator for the Global Leadership Project at Fort Hays State University.

"The answer," she said, "is SWIPE Out Hunger."

FHSU, through the Center for Civic Leadership and Forsyth Library, will combine resources to support the SWIPE Out initiative as part of a statewide food packaging event. Numana Inc., a public charity, has given an initial amount of 20,000 meals free of charge to each the 16 participating higher education institutions in Kansas. At FHSU, the Global Leadership Project will host the food packaging event on Saturday, Oct. 29, in one hour shifts from 2 to 4 p.m. in Forsyth Library on the FHSU campus to package the 20,000 meals for people who are starving in the Horn of Africa.

"We will have 140 volunteers," said Nuckolls.

Nuckolls said a SWIPE event is a fun, hands-on way to make an impact on thousands of lives in a short amount of time. Volunteers, which will come from campus and the community, will gather around tables and package rice, soy, freeze-dried beans and a vitamin blend into packages that feed six people. In just an hour, 10 people can package more than 1,200 meals, she said.

The Center for Civic Leadership and Forsyth Library will combine resources to support the Numana SWIPE Out Hunger Campaign.

To register, email glp@fhsu.edu. FHSU's is listed under the Events button on the swipeouthunger.com Web page. Those who wish to donate to next year's SWIPE event at FHSU can click on the "Donate" link and select FHSU in the dropdown menu.