This past weekend, Food for Thought hosted the 9th annual Walk for Plumpy’nut, one of their biggest events, at Cass Park. The purpose of the walk was to raise money for Plumpy’nut, a therapeutic, ready-to-eat peanut butter paste given to children who are malnourished around the world. In the past, the solution to childhood malnutrition was a powdered milk mixture requiring water, but many malnourished families could not rely on access to clean water. Plumpy’nut is packed with protein, vitamins, peanuts, and powdered milk, and since its introduction, there has been a dramatic decrease in childhood malnutrition.
There were 25 people who participated in the walk on Saturday, and Food for Thought was able to raise $475 at the event alone (not including online registration and personal donations, which will amount to approximately another $400) to donate to Concern Worldwide, a humanitarian organization with feeding centers in Ethiopia. There were also many prizes donated from local restaurants and shops, which were raffled off to participants during the event.
Food for Thought meets weekly on Thursday nights at 7:00 pm in Friends 309. Current president Rebecca Johnson says that new members are always welcome. Just because the name of this student organization is Food for Thought doesn’t mean their only focus is food; Food for Thought is dedicated to serving children around the world who are denied access to basic living necessities, a quality education, and proper nutrition. At weekly meetings, conversation topics cover everything from access to clean water, hunger to human trafficking, and access to education.
Johnson says, “I love the weekly discussions because it’s a bunch of people coming together dedicated to a singular cause … and you’re learning from your peers through hearing all the different perspectives from different classmates.”
To find out more about Food for Thought, check out their website, OrgSync page, or send them an email at icfoodforthought@gmail.com.
