(MissionNewswire) In April, 2012, meals from Stop Hunger Now made their way to children in need in Haiti, thanks to a partnership with Salesian Missions. The meals were utilized by the Lakay program for street children where the Salesians feed more than 600 youth every day in Cité Soleil, the poorest slum in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This indispensable Salesian-run center provides shelter, education and food to hundreds of street children with nowhere else to turn. The facility was completely destroyed by the earthquake, leaving the children without shelter. Today, Lakay is back in operation and home to nearly 150 former street children in addition to the hundreds of other youth it serves by proving educational opportunities and hope for better futures.

Proving meals to needy children does more than just feed them.

In Haiti, feeding hungry children is often the first step in providing an education. Children who initially come to be fed become engaged in school activities. They are also prepared to learn. At Salesian schools in Haiti, feeding programs are in operation and supporting efforts to rebuild the community. Thousands of students receive daily breakfast of a cup of milk and bread.

The Lakay program is just one of many Salesian-run programs in Port-au-Prince and throughout Haiti. From homeless shelters for youth to the renowned National School of the Arts and Trade—and even an agriculture school—the work is centered around providing hope and opportunity to those who need it most.

At every Salesian-run program serving youth in Haiti, students not only receive educational opportunities and the support of caring adults, they also receive a nutritious meal daily. The Salesians are an integral part of the infrastructure in Haiti. Salesian Missions—the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco—also plays an important role in making sure aid gets to its destination country and into the hands of those who need it most.

Ensuring aid reaches its destination

Because the Salesians have been serving Haiti for 75 years, they are trusted members of local communities and as a result are very successful in the delivery and distribution of aid. The meals provided by Stop Hunger Now were able to reach their destination because of the logistics management provided by Salesian Missions, which pays for and arranges the shipping of freight containers. When donated goods are sent abroad Salesian Missions tracks the entire process, monitoring and evaluating each shipment to ensure compliance with donors’ intentions.

ABOUT STOP HUNGER NOW

Established in 1998, Stop Hunger Now is an international relief organization headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is driven by the vision of a world without hunger. Its mission is to provide food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable and create a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources. Stop Hunger Now currently conducts its successful meal packaging program in 13 cities throughout the United States and three locations in South Africa. More than 150,000 volunteers have packaged 65 million meals to support school feeding programs and provide disaster relief. In 2012, Stop Hunger Now will expand its services to two new locations in the United States, Northern California and Boston, and also into Malaysia.