[ACNS] The largest Episcopal parish day school in the United States of America cancelled a PE lesson and pupil meetings and instead used the time to package more than 10,000 meals for hungry children in developing countries.

Four third grade (8-10 year olds) classes and one eighth-grade (13-14 year olds) class at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta Georgia skipped their routine timetable earlier this week and instead spent the time in the parish hall bagging and sealing meals of rice, soy protein, dehydrated vegetables, and vitamin power for families in in some of the world’s most vulnerable developing countries.

The plastic bags have been packed, weighed, sealed and labelled before being boxed and loaded onto a Stop Hunger Now van.

“This is our faith in action,” lower school Chaplain Timothy Seamans said as he watched staff and students fill the bags that hold six meals each. “It’s a reflection of our Episcopal identity and calling to let our faith shine through our actions and service.”

As they prepared the bags, the pupils discussed the plight of global hunger with Stop Hunger Now’s program manager Michael Ashley. He told them that 800 million people in the world wake up every day not knowing what they will have to eat. “You are going to get your hands busy today actually doing something about this problem of hunger,” he said.

Head Chaplain Shan Overton said that combining third- and eighth-graders on the project was beneficial to both groups of students.

“This is an opportunity for the older students to show leadership and get to know some of the younger students,” he said. “There is something about getting to know someone working side by side to help other people.”