FMSC

FMSC: it stands for "Feed My Starving Children".  In short, it is a charity organization that enlists the help of volunteers to pack meals that are sent to people who are desperately hungry. One woman, a Vermont resident, attended a "MobilePack" in Florida and had a vision that she needed to organize an event in Vermont. She started spreading the word, and the Northern Family signed on.
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Below is the text from an online poster that one of the team members created after hearing the story of LittleNortherner (this label is temporarily replacing NorthernToddler) drawing his family into helping this event.
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A Child Shall Lead Them....

Four year old inspired to make a difference

The Story (from his mom)

In March, our church was shown the Feed My Starving Children promotional video. My four-year-old son quickly connected with the video and made a pitch to my husband and I that we needed to feed the starving children. I went home and made a note to start saving some spare change in a jar, but during the week forgot to do so. The following week, our pastor mentioned Feed My Starving Children in his sermon, and my four year old once again told us that we needed to start a jar to feed the starving children right now and as quickly as possible.

We started the jar with some loose change and a portion of the money that he earns by doing chores. The money that he does earn is divided into three categories: save, spend, and give (church offering/charity). What once was just his chore money being divided up into a “give” envelope (that really had no meaning to him) quickly became his personal mission to do more chores in order to feed more children. He even opted to put some of his birthday money into the jar.

My husband and I quickly decided that this was something we wanted - and needed - to be a part of as a family. When I mentioned why I joined the planning team, our pastor asked me if my son would be willing to tell the church about his jar, and the next Sunday he did just that. On the way to speak to the congregation, he asked me why people did not know about the starving children and why they did not already have their own jars. My response; “because you have not told them about the starving children yet.”

Well, he stood up there in front of the church with his jar and made sure to tell the congregation about Feed My Starving Children. A few months later, he has not forgotten about the starving children and cannot wait to get a chance to help as many starving children as he can. We occasionally check the webpage that shows how much money his fundraising has collected, and from time to time he will ask to watch the video of the children that he wants to help.

As parents, it surprises us (and warms our hearts) that a four-year-old could make such a connection and have a heart for helping others.

 

Now, NorthernDaddy is just as compassionate as the next person (um...sometimes), and when he saw the video and how he could help with just a two-hour commitment to help with packing food, he was sure that the Northerns would help (heck, it's just two hours). NorthernMommy got a little more involved - she joined the planning committee. Her time commitment was substantial, with planning meetings, helping to gather together volunteers and donations, and working special fund-raising events. As a result of NorthernMommy's being on the planning team, NorthernDaddy got roped in for a little more than his "two hour" initial estimate. He ended up taking a day off from work to help set up for the event. (It was hard work, but exceptionally rewarding, and well worth it to see LittleNortherner helping others.)

Ever seen a 2,000 lb bag of rice?

NorthernDaddy and the guy on the right were struggling to haul pallet after pallet of heavy food staples...

 

Once the food containers were uncovered, hairnets became mandatory for every person in the gym. (Thanks to the FDA for making us look goofy!)

Working the 'With Love From Vermont' event was such a wonderful thing that NorthernDaddy can't begin to tell everything. The style of the event, with many dozens of people gathered around packing stations, made for a fun two hours of work. Many of the people at each station didn't know everyone else at their station, but the fast pace and shared goal (pack as many meals as possible for kids that need them) made each group form into a united team in a short amount of time. NorthernMommy and LittleNortherner moved around in the packing station, trading tasks to do several different things. NorthernDaddy stayed at his box-packing task and, in the process, got out-worked by two four-year-olds. LittleNortherner and a young lady by the name of Jada were so efficient in shuttling food packets to Daddy that he could not keep pace. (Embarrassing!)

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As previously stated, it's not possible to tell everything that the Northerns did and experienced, but the things that stand out are: Amazement. Pride. Humbleness.

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Amazement that a four-year-old could have a heart so caring, so loving, so BIG that he would insist that his family get involved in this cause. Pride in having a child that has that heart. Humbleness - that a young child has the pure heart to see a need that he identifies with and can (and must) help to fix, while fully-grown adults (NorthernDaddy being one) pass over the issue as just one more problem of the world that can't be fixed easily.

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One last word: Excitement. Excitement that this event was the first of its kind in Vermont, and that the Northerns got to work with an incredibly focused and talented team of people to help make it happen. Excitement that such a relatively easy weekend of work will make such a huge difference in childrens' lives (they say that the food packed in two days will feed 362 children for one year). Excitement that this event may occur again next year with a goal of providing meals for even more hungry children.