Residents of Wesley Village in Shelton pack food at church in Easton

SHELTON - Residents from Wesley Village senior living campus joined Covenant Church of Easton for a recent Feed the Hunger Packathon, a food packing event in which participants produce thousands of nutritious meals that will be distributed to children and families in need across America and internationally. 

The event was hosted by Covenant Church and organized in collaboration with Feed the Hunger, a ministry of global partners that seeks to feed the spiritual and physical needs of at-risk children.  Eleven residents and two Wesley Village team members participated with a group of over 100 volunteers from the church to help pack nearly 25,000 meals to be distributed around the world. This was the first event of its kind at the church.

During their two-hour shifts, teams of volunteers assembled four ingredients: a carbohydrate (rice or pasta), a protein (soy or dehydrated pinto beans), dehydrated vegetables, and vitamin powder. 

These ingredients, which together provide complete nutrition, were packaged in six-serving meal packets that were weighed, sealed, and boxed. Wesley Village volunteers assisted with packing ingredients, creating labels, and assembling meal packets, which will be distributed overseas to refugees and needy children through Christian partners, and also given out domestically through food pantries and supplemental food programs at certain schools.

Crista Hernan, Director of Spiritual Life for United Methodist Homes , the not-for-profit mission-based organization which manages the Wesley Village senior living campus, reflected on how important it is to have purpose and feel that life is meaningful, regardless of age or personal circumstances. “This was a fantastic opportunity for Wesley Village residents to serve others according to their own abilities and be part of a bigger mission – feeding hungry children," she said. "It warmed my heart to see their smiles when they realized their participation was vital in reaching Packathon goals.”

Wesley Village residents from both Crosby Commons and Wesley Heights senior living communities volunteered during the March event, including Penny Alexander, Norma Fitzgerald, Doris Giammatteo, Audrey Kaszuba, Connie Koskelowski, Rita Lund, Kevin O’Brien, Eleanor Scanzillo, Gloria Stefano, and Ruth Wakeley. Hernan and Andrea Hyde, Activities Director at Wesley Heights, also attended the event and coordinate transportation for residents.

Wesley Heights resident Connie Koskelowski enjoyed her job of labelling and filling packets of non-perishable ingredients, which would be sent to children in need in Ukraine or a camp for refugees in Bangladesh. “We were all given gloves and a hair net to keep everything sanitary and by the end of the day we had boxed 24,000 packets ready for shipment, said Koskelowski. “It was an incredible experience. I feel blessed to have been able to participate and be part of this “mission trip” with over 100 other volunteers.”

For Rita Lund, a Crosby Commons resident, volunteering at the Packathon was an enjoyable and educational experience. “I saw all the organizational aspects required – number of people, sources of financial support, kinds of foodstuffs offered, distribution of jobs and workstations, and all that was needed to produce the thousands of nutritional packets we assembled. With my volunteer assignment of labeling packets being straightforward, I also enjoyed the chance to visit with the other volunteers and find out more about those I was working with,” Lund said.

Fellow Crosby Commons resident, Audrey Kaszuba was impressed by the organized assembly lines and the amount of people helping at the event, many of them teens and families working together. “It was my humble pleasure to be part of this. What better way to help than feeding the hungry and less fortunate,” she said.

Hernan and the group from Wesley Village shared their experiences with the rest of the community after returning to the campus that day and throughout the week. Residents were thrilled to hear about the event and expressed continued interest in similar opportunities for upcoming weeks. 

“Creating opportunities for residents to connect to things that give their lives meaning is foundational to spiritual wellness and always at the forefront of resident life at Wesley Village and my work here at United Methodist Homes,” said Hernan. “Many thanks to everyone at Covenant Church of Easton for this wonderful experience. We hope to do this again!”

About Wesley Village: Wesley Village senior living campus at 580 Long Hill Ave., Shelton is part of United Methodist Homes, a local not-for-profit organization. The Wesley Village campus offers independent and assisted living, enhanced assisted living, early memory support, skilled nursing and short-term rehab. 

To learn more about Crosby Commons, Wesley Heights, Lifestyle Transitions, or Bishop Wicke Health Center, visit our website or call  203.225.5024. 

To become part of the Wesley Village team, visit our website at: https://www.umh.org/career-opportunities-at-umh.

About Feed the Hunger: Founded in 1968, Feed the Hunger is a Christian ministry with a mission to feed spiritual and physical hunger, especially for at-risk children.  

Using reliable global partnerships, they identify vulnerable children at risk of starvation or malnutrition, provide immediate nutritional resources, and invest in their long-term success through education and spiritual growth. Food packed during a Packathon event is distributed overseas to refugees and needy children through Christian partners and is given out domestically through food pantries and through supplemental food programs at certain schools. 

Currently the ministry maintains 55 global partners in 26 countries (including the US) and has packed over 40 million meals and counting while serving over 13,000 children in Feed the Hunger programs. 

For more information about Feed the Hunger, visit feedthehunger.org.

This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.