For most Americans, our hardest decision is where to eat. For many people in the rest of the world, their hardest decision is which member of their family will get to eat.

Hunger is pervasive around the world. According to www.WorldOMeters.info, there are over 800,000,000 starving people. Every day 12,000 people die from hunger and hunger-related diseases. Those are depressing and somewhat overwhelming numbers, but they are not the only numbers that count.

On Saturday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Sandhills Rotary Club, in conjunction with the Town of Southern Pines, is sponsoring a "Stop Hunger Now" campaign. Over 80 volunteers will be packing 25,000 meals in a three-hour period. Pinecrest High School students have raised over $1,300 toward the effort, and the total raised to pay for the meals has exceeded $5,000. Each meal costs about 20 cents.

"Stop Hunger Now" gathers the meals and ships them to strategic warehouses across the globe, where they are then distributed within the local school systems. This innovative method of distribution achieves a double benefit. Not only are the children fed, they are also encouraged by their parents to attend school. "Stop Hunger Now" has seen a dramatic increase in school attendance, especially among young girls, as a direct result of their program.

"The goal of 25,000 meals will not end world hunger, but it is a start," says a spokesman. "The Sandhills Rotary Club is committed to promoting world peace and understanding as well as providing humanitarian aid around the globe."

Each year, Rotary Clubs sponsor projects, both locally and globally, that make a positive difference in the world. Those interested in helping with these efforts can contact Dan Askins at Dan@DanAskins.com.