Local moms feed global youth

Feed My Starving Children

Local mothers work to feed hungry youth across the globe

By Andrea Iglar

One million meals purchased and packaged—that’s the milestone Celina Farabaugh expects to reach at her annual food-packing event in the South Fayette Intermediate School gym this fall.

Since 2016, the South Fayette resident has led a local effort to help feed hungry children, through the South Hills MobilePack event of Minnesota-based Christian nonprofit Feed My Starving Children.

This year’s fundraising goal is $43,000—enough to buy and prepare 147,000 packets of fortified rice and soy that will be shipped to malnourished youth across the globe.

“On September 9th we will pack our millionth meal in that gym,” Farabaugh said. “There’s going to be a lot of tears.”

Local volunteers with Feed My Starving Children include, from left, Kelly Gilmore of South Fayette, Celina Farabaugh of South Fayette and Michelle Stonemark of Cecil. Farabaugh holds a MannaPack, a fortified rice and soy blend that volunteers prepare and donate to hungry youth across the globe.

Photo by Andrea Iglar

Since 2015, the South Fayette group has packed 856,440 meals for communities in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Zambia.

Farabaugh became involved with the charity when she took her two daughters to volunteer for a two-hour packing session in 2015.

After learning the organizers were moving out of the country, she felt compelled to take over as event host—a role that requires a written commitment to raise tens of thousands of dollars, organize hundreds of volunteers and pack thousands of meals for worldwide distribution.

A full-time, stay-at-home mother, Farabaugh had pondered the responsibility before making the leap, gaining support from her Mothers of Preschoolers group and her husband, Jeff.

“Being a mom of young kids at that time, and just the idea that I wouldn’t be able to feed my kids and what that would be like for me, it’s hard to wrap your head around that,” Farabaugh recalled. “So it was just kind of like, what can I do to help with this situation?”

Eight years later, Farabaugh continues to lead the charitable effort, hand-in-hand with volunteers Kelly Gilmore of the Hickory Heights neighborhood and Michelle Stonemark, a Cecil resident who grew up in South Fayette.

The women said they gain personal satisfaction from the endeavor and consider it a valuable learning experience for their children.

Stonemark said it’s important for everyone, including her three kids, to give back to people who are less fortunate.

Clockwise from left, volunteers Mike Suchoza, Barb Crawford, Jack Crawford and Lynne Suchoza place labels on MannaPack meal supplement bags.

Submitted photo

“I’ve always been a very service-minded person,” she said.

Gilmore said the effort has been a “wonderful teaching opportunity” for her four children, who have learned about service by participating in the fundraising and packing process.

“The kids literally see full circle what they’re doing, who they’re helping,” she said.

Over the years, children have raised money by filling empty M&M candy tubes with coins. Some years, these quarters added up to more than $5,000.

The national Feed My Starving Children organization works with orphanages, churches, nongovernmental organizations and others to distribute food to children in need.

Several permanent meal-packing sites are available in some states, with periodic “mobile” events held around the country. The South Hills MobilePack held in South Fayette is the only such event in Western Pennsylvania.

The MobilePack accepts donations from individuals and organizations, including employer matches.

Other fundraising comes from events, including a lip sync contest emceed by 3WS radio host Jonny Hartwell. The audience votes for their favorite performances with cash, and the act drawing the most dollars wins the championship. This year’s battle raised $12,000.

“It’s been a huge success,” said Stonemark, who had launched the idea. “It’s just a blast.”

Fundraising proceeds cover the costs of nutritious ingredients. Each 13.2-ounce meal pack contains six servings of rice, soy, dried vegetables and a vitamin blend, meant as a dietary supplement. The meal is cooked with boiling water.

Mike Segeleon, left, and fifth-grader Charlotte Gilmore volunteer at the Feed My Starving Children meal-packing event in September 2022.

Submitted photo

Packing day will include more than 700 volunteers working two-hour shifts to quickly and accurately measure, pour, bag, weigh, seal, label and pack food, which Feed My Starving Children officials will load onto a trailer and haul away for distribution.

Volunteers may be as young as 5 years old when accompanied by an adult.

Individuals, families and groups are welcome to participate.

The committee said packing day feels like second Christmas.

“It’s the most amazing day,” Gilmore said. “You look at what just a few hours can accomplish and how life-changing it is across the world. How could you not want to do this?”

You can donate any time to Feed My Starving Children - South Hills Mobile Pack at give.fmsc.org/southhills.

Volunteer registration opens in early August at the same link. For updates, follow the Facebook group @southfayettemobilepack or “Feed My Starving ChildrenSouth Hills MobilePack.”