Wittenberg football team helps pack meals for African children

The Wittenberg University football team spent Wednesday afternoon packaging 30,000 nutritious meals to combat childhood malnutrition in the African nation of Lesotho. The meals contain rice and grain along with dehydrated vegetables and nutritional supplements all sealed in a bag.  BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

The Wittenberg University football team spent Wednesday afternoon packaging 30,000 nutritious meals to combat childhood malnutrition in the African nation of Lesotho. The meals contain rice and grain along with dehydrated vegetables and nutritional supplements all sealed in a bag. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

The Wittenberg University football team joined the Lesotho Nutrition Initiative Wednesday afternoon to help pack meals for children in the southern African nation.

Head Coach Jim Collins said they had the whole team involved helping assemble 30,000 meals of rice, soy and vegetables in sealed packages. He added the meals are meant to feed children ages 5 and younger, and they will offer 3,000 children a 10-day supply of food.

“As a football team, it’s an opportunity to give back, to help others,” he said, later adding, “There’s nothing like giving back. There’s nothing like being involved.”

Reed Hall, a junior who plays running back, was one of the players helping pack food.

“I know that we’re making a change for a lot of people. It’s great to be here with all of our guys having a good time doing the right thing,” he said.

The Lesotho Nutrition Initiative began in 2014 as a group of students and faculty from Wittenberg University concerned about the severe childhood malnutrition in the African nation, according to the organization’s website.

The group said that it holds numerous packing events throughout the year by partnering with schools, churches and other local organizations.

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