Mike Carter, CEO of Bushmans’, Inc., Rosholt, and the immediate past President of the WPVGA Board of Directors, said he heard about the program through the United States Potato Board, and decided to accept the challenge and host a mobile packing event in Wisconsin.

 

“My wife and I were very moved by this program,” Carter said. “The packing process is simple but powerful. Volunteers work in teams to measure ingredients into bags, weigh them, and heat-seal the filled bags. The completed meals are boxed and shipped to starving children around the world.”

 

At a WPVGA Board of Directors meeting in January, Carter’s wife Ali approached the board for support of the mobile packing event.

 

“The potato pack is designed specifically for children under the age of two to aid in the management of diarrhea caused by malnutrition,” Ali Carter said.  “Diarrhea is the number one cause of death among malnourished children. So not only are we saving lives, we are putting a very positive spotlight on the potato industry.”

 

Carter said the ingredients are purchased entirely through the generosity of donors. With each FMSC meal costing only 24 cents to produce, and 94% of all donations going directly to the feeding program, gifts of all sizes go a long way in the fight against world hunger.

 

Carter said it costs $48,000 to fund the mobile packing event, and 500 volunteers are working two-hour shifts over the three-day period. The WPVGA Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion to fund the FMSC mobile packing event at a level of $10,000. Fundraising efforts by the WPVGA over the past six months were successful in raising the needed funds.