St. Peter’s Episcopal Church packed 13,636 bags of food, enough to feed almost 55,000 people, during an annual fundraiser to stop hunger throughout the world.

Approximately 100 church volunteers got together Saturday to package bags of rice, soy protein, dried vegetables and vitamins, to be sent to those in need around the world, according to Mary Parker Liles, event coordinator. The church raises money to purchase food through an international nonprofit, Stop Hunger Now, which works to combat world hunger. In exchange for funds raised, Stop Hunger Now sends boxes of the items used to package meals.

Liles said the event brings those of all ages together to play a part in making the event a success. Teams at each table measure out and bag portions, which given to young volunteers to run to older church members, who weigh the bags to make sure all packages are equal, Liles said.

“We had a really good turnout,” Liles said. “It’s kind of like an assembly line process. We have it so it can be all the age groups helping us somehow.”

“The Stop Hunger Now event is a great annual event we do,” said Jim Reed, St. Peter’s pastor. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for our congregation to raise money and purchase food and put meals together. I like it because it brings age groups together, and they have a great time doing this. It’s extremely well organized and one bag that is filled will feed a family of four, which is very amazing. (The food) is very nutritious, and it’s sent all over the world. I’d love to see it take off. I think it would be a fantastic ecumenical community thing to take place where all the churches could jump in on this and bring more people together to do it.”

The church raises the money through its Polar Plunge each February, where church members, sponsored by the community, jump into the cold Tar River. This year’s fundraiser yielded around $4,000. The effort is one of several ways the church is reaching out locally, nationally and internationally, according to Liles. To help stop hunger locally, St. Peter’s provides bag lunches for the Zion Shelter and Kitchen, Washington’s homeless shelter.

“We try to branch out and do ministries on different levels of giving,” Liles said. “We’re very impressed with how Stop Hunger Now works and how they can get food to places and nations that are in need. We feel like everyone should have meals, and this is just a huge way to do it. We try to help whenever we can.”