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Canning in Ontario. This group makes volunteering look like fun. HistoryThe idea developed during World War II among the Mennonites. As the war continued the number of hungry, homeless, war-suffering people grew, and their cry for help became audible. In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley a local business built and operated a portable canner in the area, processing food for relief overseas. More... Meanwhile, out on the Great Plains of Kansas, Mennonites also wanted to provide relief for war-sufferers. A relief committee was formed in Hesston, KS, to respond to the needs, and they also built a canning unit. Today the canning unit is mounted on a flat-bed trailer, enclosed with fold-up sides. Four MCC volunteers operate the canning unit, traveling to 33 locations in 11 states as well as Manitoba and Ontario, Canada, from October to May. At each location, a local meat canning committee has purchased meat and arranged for facilities and volunteers. The work of the local committees is the heart of the program. The canning unit can process 20 head of cattle in one day.
"The food and clothing you have brought will help us very much. But the most important thing is that you have come here and brought comfort for our souls." - woman evacuated from Chechnya war zone, to MCC workers Cheryl and Steve Hochstetler Shirk as they distributed clothing, shoes, and MCC beef, and then sang, talked, and listened to the refugees. |
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