Volunteers gathered to assemble meals for communities facing food insecurity at an event sponsored by the San Carlos Week of the Family.
Rise Against Hunger is an international nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gap between communities facing hunger and those who choose to give back.
Starting six years ago at the San Carlos First Baptist Church, this event has become an annual tradition.
“Families have the chance to do something not for themselves, but to help people outside of San Carlos,” said Tim King, the San Carlos Lions Club president.
Behind the scenes, King worked with Rise Against Hunger and Jerome Madigan, the church’s worship and outreach pastor, to make the event a success.
“We had to get the necessary funds in order to pay for the event, which our donors helped with. Once we got the money, we were able to plan out how many meals we were going to make,” King said.
Volunteers ranged from students to enthusiastic adults and everyone else in between.
Small plastic bags hung on posts as volunteers scooped in the four key ingredients. Pieces of barley covered the white bag of vitamins as rice spilled over the top, quickly adding the final “cherry on top” — dried vegetables.
Once the bags were filled, they were taken to the sealing station, where volunteers weighed them to ensure accuracy and then sealed them shut. A gong would ring each time 1,000 meals were prepared, creating an atmosphere of appreciation.
“Packing these meals has been such a great experience. I realize that every single bag can feed someone six times, and the true impact they have,” said Vivian Ivanov, a freshman at Carlmont High School.
In total, 20,000 meals were produced and will be shipped to Asian and South Asian countries, including Cambodia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Producing these meals fosters community-wide connection and motivation to do more for others
“It’s almost like a bonding event; it’s really fun to talk to others while putting together the meals because it’s not very hard. People bond, they talk to each other and meet other people,” said At van den Hout, the San Carlos Rotary Club president.
According to the United Nations’ World Food Programme, as of 2026, 318 million people worldwide, or 3.6% of the population, face crisis levels of hunger or worse. Exacerbated by wars and socioeconomic factors, hunger levels have risen since 2019 but are steadily decreasing.
“There’s not a shortage of food; the problem is access to food. It’s really as simple as providing and creating systems so that more people have the opportunity to access food,” said Raymond Pun, a market development manager at Rise Against Hunger.
Food insecurity is a global issue, impacting communities around the world, including nearby. According to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, approximately one in five people in California struggles with food insecurity.
In addition to global organizations, those in need can also search for more local, personal organizations within schools, such as the Carlmont Food Pantry.
The first step in fighting hunger does not have to be a grand gesture; it can be as simple as attending a community event.
“It’s a great feeling to know that you did something really small but had such a big impact. There’s so much more we could do, but to do something small makes you feel better about your actions,” said Sanjay Kacholiya, a San Carlos parent.
For some, motivation comes from the desire to give back. For others, it comes from familial history and passed-down stories.
According to Ivanov, her parents immigrated to the United States from Bulgaria, where they lacked adequate resources; from a young age, they instilled in her the value of volunteering.
“We’re so fortunate to live in the Bay Area, where there is clean water, food, and a roof over our heads, yet so many people take that for granted. Being here and grounding myself and realizing the impact it has, I want to do the most for the people who couldn’t or can’t do what we are doing,” Ivanov said.
