As part of Shelton’s 50th anniversary celebrations, the school hosted the Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) MobilePack event on September 5–7.

“Feed My Starving Children gave our students a chance to serve with purpose," says Suzanne Stell, Shelton's Executive Director. "Kids Feeding Kids is a powerful way to show our students that their actions — right here at Shelton — can make a global impact.”

The idea for Shelton to host a MobilePack came from former Shelton parent and board member Dee Velvin. Stell says Velvin’s suggestion planted the seed for bringing the event to Shelton as part of its 50th anniversary

The three-day event, organized by the nonprofit that provides nutritionally complete meals to children worldwide and hosted by FMSC volunteer Ron Carey, brought together more than 3,046 volunteers. Together, they packed 641,304 single-serving meals specially formulated to fight malnutrition and delivered to children in greatest need — enough to feed 1,756 children one meal a day for an entire year.

On Friday, September 5, Shelton staff and students in grades five through twelve packed meals in the Main Gym. Third- and fourth-grade students also participated, accompanied by parent volunteers. Shelton shifts included 1,026 volunteers who packed 116,856 meals — enough to feed 319 children one meal a day for an entire year.

On Saturday and Sunday, September 6–7, the MobilePack expanded beyond Shelton, welcoming volunteers from across Dallas — including families, scout troops, sports teams, book clubs and faith groups. The gym was filled with energy, music and collaboration, creating a memorable service-driven weekend.

For many Shelton families, the experience was personal and inspiring. Shelton parent Amanda Marrone said she and her son Isaac were eager to be involved. “We volunteered for Feed My Starving Children at their facility and had a lot of fun doing some of the races and activities. We wanted to be part of celebrating Shelton and helping the community.” Isaac, a Shelton third-grader, said, “I'm helping out today for the fun of it and to help others.”

Nine-year-old Zach Tauzel echoed that spirit of empathy, saying, “Helping kids who are hungry is important to me.” For third-grader Suri Ballianda, the impact was clear: “I like helping because you get to feed kids that don’t have food on the table every day like I do.” Her mother, Rachana Raman, shared that the project was an opportunity for deeper learning. “I wanted Suri to have a certain appreciation for what she has in her own life."

Students of all ages found meaning in the work. Marin Scaggs, an eighth-grader, said, “I want to make sure they have food so they can have energy, and also that they feel loved and have the necessities they need.”

Students also reflected on the deeper meaning of the event. Junior Baron Pogir said, “These children don’t have the luxury we do — their goal is just to survive. By volunteering, we’re extending our hearts to another continent and helping them. It’s a powerful reminder of kindness and selflessness, and I’m proud Shelton made this part of our 50th anniversary.”

Shelton staff were equally moved. Eddie Moreno, Shelton Computer Systems Specialist, called the event a powerful reminder of community service. “This is a great way to help the community," he said. "We’re helping kids and families all over the world. It’s a privilege to help. I’m proud to work at Shelton, where we help others.”

Shelton is grateful to every volunteer who helped turn hunger into hope. A heartfelt thank you goes out to FMSC's Carey, staff and volunteers and all the students, teachers, staff, parents, former parents, alumni, schools, friends and community members who gave their time, energy, and heart to make this event such an incredible success.