Through Meals from the Heartland, Central Iowa volunteers have packaged millions of nutritious meals for people in some of the poorest countries on Earth. Early next month, the nonprofit organization will hold another mass-packaging event that it expects will provide 4 million additional meals.

Meals from the Heartland was inspired by the response of members at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, who in 2007 set a challenge to package 1 million meals for the poor in 40 days during Lent. “It was a lot of fun, and a lot of people volunteered,” said Mark Aeilts, a church member who now chairs Meals from the Heartland’s volunteer board. “We asked the question, what if we had a larger facility and more people helped?”

In September 2008, an initial mass-packaging effort attracted more than 12,000 volunteers from throughout Greater Des Moines. Working in teams of eight to 10 people in two-hour shifts at Hy-Vee Hall, volunteers packaged 4 million meals within five days. Two months later, the nonprofit organization was formed because of the overwhelming response, Aeilts said. Last year, 14,000 volunteers packaged another 4 million meals, and earlier this year the organization held an event at which 3 million meals were packaged to be sent to earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Though small, each quart-size plastic package – filled with a mixture of rice, textured soy, dried vegetables and vitamin powder – feeds a family of six and costs only 15 cents each to produce. The food packages have been shipped to Haiti, Jamaica, South Africa, Mexico and Israel. Support has also been provided to New Mexico and to homeless shelters in Iowa.

Corporate and individual donors have provided a nearly equal mix of cash and in-kind contributions totaling more than $900,000 annually to the nonprofit.

“It gives people an opportunity to make a difference firsthand,” Aeilts said, “and the packaging is a good team-building activity for all kinds of organizations. I also think we resonate because we are virtually an all-volunteer organization.”

Meals from the Heartland is seeking volunteers and contributions for its next packaging event, scheduled for Sept. 2-5 at Hy-Vee Hall. To volunteer or donate, visit www.mealsfromtheheartland.org.