Stop Hunger Now Meal Packaging Event Reflection

Fatimah Ogungbade

Over the past four years in the Leadership and International Relations Center, I thought
the day when I completed my Capstone project would take forever to come. As I now stand on
the other side of the finish line, I couldnt be more pleased with how my project tied everything
Ive learned thus far into one last act of service.
I knew from the start of my Capstone planning, I wanted to subtract myself from the
center of it all. I didnt want to engage in a project where I would receive all the glory or would
be the main center of attention. Fortunately, I participated in a summer internship with St.
Christophers School that planted the perspective of being a globally engaged citizen nationally
and internationally. When I discovered the Stop Hunger Now organization through their sister
school, St. Catherines, I immediately knew this was an opportunity I desperately wanted to
bring back to the community; I wanted to take my newfound perspective of servitude into the
international community by revolving my project around Stop Hunger Now and their mission to
end world hunger. Communication was the biggest aspect that was used from the beginning till
the very end of my Capstone. To hold the event, I needed a minimum of $2,500 dollars and there
was no way on earth I could do it alone. I was always on my e-mail, talking to the director of
Stop Hunger Now Richmond, Mike Nelson, about different ways to raise the money. I made
phone calls to family and family friends around the United States, visited and presented my
project to managers at numerous businesses, such as Kroger, HH Gregg and The Fresh Market,
in hopes of getting donations. From the various of people and forms of communication used
throughout the six months of my capstone process, I learned that communicating with others will
help you in the long run and proves beneficial when you allow your idea and others idea to
blend together. Ethics was illustrated by getting people to learn about why volunteering and
getting involved in the many parts of my project is the right thing to do. My project dealt with
feeding thousands of children worldwide who face extreme hunger, so by informing students and
other volunteers about the benefits of the event, I was able to open up the sense of ethics in many
students minds and allow them to realize the importance of thinking of all the possibilities their
actions or non-actions can create. The highlight of service was exemplified on the actual event
day. Over 40 volunteers from around the county convened to package 10,152 meals in under
three hours and everyone had a blast, which made the event even more successful. Having the
feeling of knowing our service will have a positive change in a childs life gives me the utmost
satisfaction.
My biggest fear of doing such a large-scale project was the possibility of conflict arising
with other students or volunteers, but thank goodness I had no problems with anyone. Everyone,
even my helpers in Clover Hill High Schools Interact Club, worked along perfectly and
managed to be a team in this project. I was surprised that even I myself, despite the constant
pressure and fear of something going wrong, was able to stay calm and go along with the flow
during the process. I attributed this good fortune to the fact that everyone involved did not think
of themselves only, but of the many lives they were going to impact. My volunteers and the
students engaged in the project realized that to fulfill a mission, it takes a good amount of
genuine unity and patience with everyone.
I faced many challenges throughout my Capstone that really threw me off balance and
constant filled my mind with fear and doubt. First, I underestimated the amount I had to raise. I
thought $2,500 dollars would be easy to get in two months. I definitely thought wrong. By the
time November rolled through, I was still under a thousand dollars, which caused me to push my
event back not once, but a total of six times. I let procrastination and overconfidence get the best
of me in the early stages, which backfired in my face big time. Second, I didnt anticipate the
number of businesses and stores that would deny to give donations. I thought, Let me write
letters to random places I think will be willing to donate, but that approach was the mistake I
made that further prolonged raising the money on time. If I could go back in time, I wouldve
done my research thoroughly on fundraising for the event and started planning in the summer
with ample time to get things done correctly.
The Stop Hunger Now event impacted the local community by educating people on the
reality of world hunger and encouraging others to be an engaged citizen and search for different
ways to get involved in causes important to their beliefs, whether itd be on the international or
local scale. Some students who volunteered on the event day have been so moved by the
organizations cause, theyve continued to volunteer at more meal packaging events around the
Richmond area. My project also impacted the international community by helping children in
other nations who dont have access to the same foods we eat gain a healthy meal to grow and
live. The most exciting part in the end of it all was learning about our 10,152 we packaged went
with more packages in Richmond to four feeding locations in Nairobi, Kenya. Without the
efforts of people who care about humanity and wish the best for the global society, we wouldnt
be able to have a positive change in many of these childrens lives.
Being thrusted into a serious leadership position during my capstone, I definitely had
times where I just wanted to quit pursuing the idea and give up. However, in the end, I was able
to fulfill my dream to have this capstone and to make it a successful one at that. Overall, learned
that as a leader, youre faced with many trials and tribulations, but you must always look up and
carry on because in the end is a reward for those who continue on the right path.
My overall hope for my capstone was to reach the main goal of packing 10,000 meals for
Stop Hunger Now and I was able to fulfill that accomplishment with the tremendous help, belief
and support from my peers, family and supporters of the cause. I couldnt be anymore happier
knowing that our actions left a promising footprint in our local community and in the global
mission to end world hunger.