Race Against Hunger Event Rallies Refugee and Immigrant Children

The school year is officially underway, which means our Race Against Hunger initiative is back in action! The Race is our service learning program, uniting middle and high school students across the country in the fight against global hunger and malnutrition. After a visit to Columbus, GA in August, our Race team made another stop on September 18th at The Bridge program in Charlotte, NC. As with the August Race event, the Charlotte event was made possible by the Race’s National Nutrition Sponsor, outdoor cookware company Masterbuilt.

The Bridge program, offered by educational services organization In Goode Company, provides K-5 students with a learning environment that helps them with their homework, English as a second language, and social development skills. What makes The Bridge unique is that all the students enrolled hold either immigrant or refugee status, originating from countries like Nepal, Myanmar and Somalia, as well as many others where we also have field operations.

To start off the afternoon, Masterbuilt’s CEO John McLemore led a discussion with the students about what types of food they liked and the importance of good nutrition. While John talked about his love for BBQ, a number of students joined the conversation and were eager to share some of their families’ favorite meals. Following the discussion, the students participated in an exciting relay race, where they worked together in teams to collect the ingredients for John’s cooking demonstration. Once the winners were announced, John showed the students how to make one of his favorite healthy recipes, grilled fruit kebabs!

The afternoon was filled with interactive activities and delicious foods, and it was clear that the students learned a great deal from both Masterbuilt and Action Against Hunger about the importance of healthy, nutritious foods and the joy of cooking delicious meals at home with family and friends.

We are excited to watch the partnership between the Race Against Hunger and Masterbuilt grow as we continue to educate America’s youth about global malnutrition and the importance of healthy eating. Keep an eye out for more fun and nutritious barbeques and events from Masterbuilt and the Race Against Hunger in the spring of 2013.