By Jordan Beach
Fill, seal, box, repeat—on Aug. 18, Reinhardt University will assemble 10,000 meals with “Rise Against Hunger,” an ambitious goal that Reinhardt invites the community to join us in achieving.
The Sunday event takes place in the James and Sis Brown Athletic Center from 3-5 p.m. Rise Against Hunger’s mission is to end hunger in our lifetime, and to do this, they provide food and life-changing aid around the world to places with the greatest need. The organization has provided aid for a total of 76 countries and served 794,700 people in 2018 alone.
In the past few years, Reinhardt utilized Homecoming and Welcome Week events to host “Rise Against Hunger.” This year, the event will be hosted during Eagle Bound, a part of Reinhardt’s New Student Orientation, with the collaboration of several local United Methodist Churches, including Waleska, Canton First, Liberty Hill, Fields Chapel, Ball Ground, City on a Hill and Sixes.
“As United Methodist, we see ourselves as being a ‘connectional church,’” said Rev. Kenny Ott, pastor-in-charge at Canton First UMC. “That means we believe in working together to meet the needs of our community and world, knowing that each local congregation has unique gifts and callings but that when we serve together, we are a more complete picture of God’s kingdom here on Earth. Reinhardt University, being a United Methodist affiliated school, is a part of that fuller picture.”
Ott views this opportunity as the start of more opportunities to work alongside the University.
“Our hope is that our combined ministry together can have a more significant impact than our individual efforts and that we can lay a foundation for future collaboration,” said Ott.
Events such as this make a global impact while allowing students and the community to serve locally as the hands and feet of Jesus. Campus Ministry intern and Leadership Team member Brooke Fountain believes the unique experience of volunteering side-by-side with local churches to aid people outside our community creates valuable connections between those Reinhardt will serve with and who they’ll be serving.
“Hosting events like ‘Rise Against Hunger’ gives Reinhardt students the opportunity to serve alongside the community and to make a difference and help individuals outside of our direct community,” Fountain said. “This year, by partnering with local churches to execute this service project, students will also have the opportunity to build relationships with individuals from these churches and begin to find their own place in the Reinhardt community.”
Consider making a difference worldwide with Reinhardt University and local United Methodist Churches by attending “Rise Against Hunger.” No experience is needed, simply register here and come with a heart ready to serve.
