While many Americans eat three meals a day, citizens of other countries can barely afford even one.

But last Wednesday, N.C. Central University teamed with Duke University to remedy this global issue.

The universities collaborated with the Durham Rotary Club and the Durham community to prepare and package thousands of meals, intending to put a dent in hunger in poor countries, where the food is delivered to schools and relief areas.

Robert L. Chapman, assistant dean of student and program advancement at NCCU, helped spearhead the initiative two years ago, which sends 80,000 meals to such countries as Haiti, Guatemala, Ghana and Bolivia.

“Last year, we had 155,000 (meals); this year we’re aiming for 75,000, and next year we want to get 1 million in one day,” said Chapman.

He said the program did not raise enough money this year to purchase more packages.

On Wednesday, students formed assembly lines, filling bags of rice and soy mixture, vitamin mix and vegetables.

The bags of food must weigh between 390 to 400 grams in order to be sealed and boxed.

Recipients prepare the bagged meals by boiling them. The soy comes from Iowa, rice from Alabama and vegetables from Chicago. One meal costs twenty cents.

Stacey Greene, elementry education junior, divides portions of rice to be packaged during the Millon Meals event. (Photo: Brian Latimer/Echo Staff Photographer)

In order to reach next year’s one-million-meal goal, Chapman said he will team up with NCCU food vendor, Sodexho.

The plan is to tally the number of meals not eaten by the students each week. The money not used for student meals will go to the millions of meals fund.

“They know when you’ve already swiped your card, so they’ll be able to know when you haven’t,” Chapman said.

The cost to purchase one million meals for the program is $200,000.

Chad N. Stutsman, who works with Stop Hunger Now, a non-profit organization that runs Operation Share House, said the millions of meals event is “growing phenomenally.”

Next year, the operation will include students from NCCU, Duke, NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill.

Participant Mark Davis, mass communications sophomore, said, “I feel great about it. It was the community service hours that pulled me in at first, but if I can help those in need, I will— even with the small stuff.”

By the end of the night, 89,400 meals had been packaged and sealed and were ready to be shipped in the effort to stop hunger.