Dawn Child, left, president of Kids Against Hunger, and WoodsEdge Community Church Senior Pastor, Jeff Wells, boxes bags of food. Child has held three fundraising events in the past month, resulting in 5,000 food packages ready for distribution locally and abroad. WoodsEdge Community Church, 2533 Gosling Road, is allowing her to use their location for food packing events. Photo by David HopperBY KIM MORGAN
Chronicle correspondent

Dawn Child is thrilled with the 5,000 pre-packaged power meals stacked at WoodsEdge Community Church in The Woodlands.

But it's only the beginning.

Child, a Panther Creek resident and mother of two, is executive director of the nonprofit group Kids Against Hunger The Woodlands.

Her motto is "feeding families around the corner and around the world."

Child said she can't do it alone.

"We have a beautiful community, but what we're missing is community service," Child said. "With this, everyone can band together. Kids, seniors, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Kiwanis, fire departments, businesses, they can think of fun and creative ways to donate money, and then come package the packages."

Child has had three packaging parties so far, all at WoodsEdge.

"There can be no better way to serve your fellow man than to feed him as Christ said to do," said WoodsEdge Community Church Community Life Pastor Kevin Henson.

Volunteers gather for "packaging parties," a job that is easily handled by kids, senior citizens, and everyone in between, Child said

She said people with special needs or handicaps are able to help too.

Volunteers set up an assembly line, and take turns measuring, scooping and packaging.

The food is a combination of rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, and 21 vitamins and minerals. It was developed by scientists.

"Rice is a recognized food around the world, but it has no nutritional value – it's just a filler," Child said. "That's why they added the nutrition. It's a vegan meal so it can go anywhere in the world and has no diet restrictions. It's clinically proven to reverse the effects of malnutrition, and meet nutritional needs."

All that's needed is water.

"Let's say an elderly person has nothing in their home but a dust bunny," Child said. "All they need is hot water and one package will give them all their nutrients and vitamins."

Child said the meal can be prepared to be as thick as a casserole, or as thin as a soup. People can add spices or meat.

But even on its own, it tastes good, she said.

"It's honestly very tasty," Child said.

Kids Against Hunger International, based in Minneapolis, suggests two-thirds of the meals be shipped internationally and the remaining third be distributed locally, but it varies based on each location's need.

Child wants to get the packaged meals on local food pantry shelves.

"I'm hearing 'we’re out of food, we're out of food,' we're hearing of shortages," Child said.

The Montgomery County Food Bank in Conroe serves an average of 16,000 people per month, of which approximately 60 percent are families with children.

The food pantry at Interfaith of The Woodlands recently underwent an expansion, so now there's extra room to fill its shelves as well.

The packaged meals would be a perfect fit, Child said.

One food package lasts up to three years and contains up to six servings.

Child said donations help her purchase the ingredients from Kids Against Hunger International and from Texas-based manufacturers.

According to the international Web site, there are 79 Kids Against Hunger locations in 24 states. There are nine in Texas, including one in Houston at St. Philip Presbyterian Church.

The Woodlands location is new, but Child was first introduced to it seven years ago while visiting a friend in Michigan.

Child is working hard to spread the word locally, and has invited more than 40 organizations to an information luncheon May 20.

Brian Elliott, executive director of The Woodlands Church Hungry and Homeless Ministry, said he's interested in finding out more about the program and what its applications could be.

"There are a lot of homeless people in Montgomery County, estimated at approximately 2,000," Elliott said. "That's truly homeless, meaning no real address, maybe living in a car, bunking with friends, or people living in the woods.

No matter where people live, Child said, they still need to eat.

"This is a super food," Child said. "It's a solid product that has been tested and proven. Whoever needs it can have it."

For more information, click here, call 281-799-6821, or email info@kidsagainsthungerwoodlands.org