For the second year, hundreds of volunteers are coming together to make sure children in other countries are able to enjoy a meal this holiday season.

Feed My Starving Children is a worldwide organization that sends food to places across the globe to help children that don’t have enough food to eat.

David Bowser, who serves on the fundraising committee, said more than 500 people are expected to come together in Fort Dodge next weekend to pack the meals.

“It provides a safety net for (the children),” Bowser said. “In the United States, we have a lot of safety nets. Worldwide, there are some that just don’t have them. We’re trying to provide that worldwide.”

The goal is to package 108,000 meals that will feed 297 children every day for a year.

Bowser said last year, the first time Feed My Starving Children was done in Fort Dodge, the food was sent to Ukraine. This year, Bowser said he doesn’t know what country will end up receiving the food.

Each package contains rice, minerals, vitamins and other items.

“We mix it all together and package it,” he said. “They’re meal-sized packages and they’ll be boxed up and they’ll ship it out overseas.”

Locally, he added that volunteers are hoping to raise a total of $30,000.

All but $6,000 of that will go toward Feed My Starving Children.

“The remaining $6,000 will be divided equally,” he said. “We’re trying to have an impact here locally as well as worldwide.”

He said The Salvation Army, Lord’s Cupboard and Beacon of Hope will all receive local money.

Volunteers will meet beginning at 9 a.m. on Dec. 3 at Community Christian School to package the meals.

Those involved include local churches, businesses and a number of children as well.

“At the event, they take a little time to show a movie explaining what they’re doing,” Bowser said. “It’s helpful to see.”

There will be three shifts of volunteers, with anywhere from 150 to 170 people per shift, according to Bowser.

“It’s a great thing for kids to see,” he said. “It’s a great thing for anybody to see.”

He added that organizers are happy to see that so many locally are interested in helping.

“We appreciate the response and the community’s been great,” he said. “We’ve met a lot of great people, great churches, and this year some businesses are involved. It’s a people thing, and we really appreciate that.”