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Tom Spencer Shares How Feed My Starving Children Unites the Georgia Catholic Community
Over ten thousand spirited basketball fans can fill the Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia, but this April, Tom Spencer brought the community together in the spirit of Christian giving.
For the third year in a row, Tom has organized a mobile event for Feed My Starving Children – a Christ-centered charity whose mission is to address and uplift children facing starvation and malnutrition around the world.
Tom was living in the Twin Cities, working for Ford Motor Company, when he first encountered Feed My Starving Children during a church volunteer event. He recalled:
“They took a whole bunch of volunteers to go pack meals…It was an amazing experience where we took our whole family, and then I ended up taking my whole office.”
Tom, now a retired Athens resident, still felt touched years later by the profound impact of volunteering with Feed My Starving Children. Called to address the needs of millions suffering from malnutrition, Tom brought this life-changing service event to his local church, The Catholic Center at the University of Georgia.
“We couldn’t do this event, couldn’t have gotten it started, without the support of The Catholic Center. They’ve just been great and really made it all possible to have that foundation.”
– Tom Spencer, Feed My Starving Children Event Host
Feed My Starving Children helps coordinate mobile pack events throughout the country. With the support of Father Brian McNavish, the Director of The Catholic Center at the University of Georgia, and the University of Georgia’s Athletic Association, Tom secured a facility, gathered volunteers, and committed to packing at least 100,000 meals.
“They’ll bring a whole tractor-trailer load of equipment, and they’ll send a small team as well as the ingredients, and then you can hold an event.” – Tom Spencer
Finding time to volunteer can be difficult, which is what makes the efficiency and integrity of Feed My Starving Children unique. With meals containing rice, vegetables, soy, and protein, packages have been scientifically designed to meet a child’s daily nutritional needs. Each one costs only 29 cents to make, and, in two hours, one volunteer will pack enough food to feed a child for seven months.
Gathered in the Stegeman Coliseum this past April, 825 volunteers worked together to pack an astounding 186,624 meals. Food packages were then sent to on-the-ground partners, such as Salesian Missions. The food reached children in 65 countries, including the Philippines, Ukraine, and Haiti.
“99.8% of the food gets delivered to the end-user intact, which is kind of a miracle when you see some of this food is delivered on boats and little dugout canoes along the rivers and [is] going to very remote parts of the world.”
– Tom Spencer
Providing food means partners in these communities can devote their efforts to building and operating schools and churches, establishing clean water supplies, and working to break the cycle of hunger.
Tom has seen the impact that taking part in a mobile packing event can have. The Catholic Center at the University of Georgia now has a dedicated team of 16 people who help plan and run the event. Volunteers of all ages, from children as young as five to The Catholic Center’s 55 and up group, The Silver Angels, express their enthusiasm to Spencer. They leave knowing that they have made a difference and are excited to share the experience with others.
“I’ve seen what it’s done for The Catholic Center and the people. More and more every year get involved. I would just love to see more, more parishes get involved.” – Tom Spencer
When asked what inspires his efforts with Feed My Starving Children year after year, Tom references Matthew 25: 35-40. He keeps it on his desk as a constant reminder of Jesus’ call to give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, and a helping hand to those “least” who have the greatest need.
Tom also has offered to be a point of contact for any parishioners interested in Feed My Starving Children. He coordinates five packing sessions each year and collects non-perishable food donations for those in Athens dealing with food insecurity.
To contact Tom Spencer about how to volunteer or how you can bring a Feed My Starving Children mobile event to your parish, email him at tspencer44@gmail.com.
To learn more about Feed My Starving Children, click here (Feed My Starving Children | Volunteer to pack meals).
To learn more about the Catholic Center at the University of Georgia and the impact of Campus Ministries, click here (Campus Ministries | Life of the Church),