Fountain Hills volunteers packed 81,000 fortified meals at a food-packing event held at the Community Center earlier this month, according to the organizers.

About 330 volunteers turned out for the event, which uses an assembly-line process and simple mobile packing equipment to pack the meals.

“We had an overwhelming turnout,” said Don Corey, who with his wife Pat was co-chair of the event.

The nutritious dehydrated meals, packed from nutritionally sustainable bulk ingredients, were of two types: a dried soup mix with rice, vegetables, soy-protein and vitamins, and a dried oatmeal mix with sugar and cinnamon and vitamin mix.

They can be cooked with minimal supplies.

The meals are being distributed by various groups that feed the hungry, including the Extended Hands Food Bank in Fountain Hills; the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Ariz.; Grace in the City outreach in Phoenix; and AZ Brainfood, which serves school children in the Valley.

In addition, the international relief organization Food for Kidz will send part of the production to West Africa, where there is an unmet need for food because of the Ebola crisis.

This is the fifth year that volunteers in Fountain Hills have participated in the project, said Corey.

In total, they have packed 227,000 meals in those five years.

The interfaith activity was organized by New Journey Lutheran Church (ELCA) and Church of the Ascension (Catholic).

In addition, many other groups helped provide financing and volunteers. They include the Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Noon Kiwanis, Girl Scouts, Cub and Boy Scouts, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Fountain Hills Christian Home Educators, Trendsetters, AZ Brainfood, Town of Fountain Hills volunteers and the Fountain Hills Chorus.

Also busily packing meals were a small group of people who publish a Vietnamese magazine, But-Tre, in Chandler. “We just wanted to help,” said Mike Pham, of the magazine’s staff. The magazine has participated previously as well.

Corey said the March 12 event was also supported by Copy Express and Bashas’, and that everyone’s support is greatly appreciated.

New Journey is already making plans for another food-packing event in March of next year. New Journey would be happy to hear from other groups who are interested in participating.

This year’s food packing activity was dedicated to the late Al Martin, a member of New Journey Lutheran Church who died in November. He was a dedicated volunteer for efforts to feed the hungry.