Food For Thought: Get 'Plummy'Nut'® yet?!

This week, Food For Thought will share with you some details about Plumpy'Nut®, a "life saver" product, as CBS called it, for malnourished children to improve their health conditions and nutrition.

The Plumpy'nut® product began with a French pediatrician named André Briend and a jar of Nutella. Through some basic formulation, a foil-packeted sticky peanut bar can help to renourish hungry children, according to Andrew Rice, reporter of New York Times, on the article "The Peanut Solution".

Children on a Plumpy’nut® regimen add pounds rapidly, often going from a near-death state to relative health in a month. In the world of humanitarian aid, where progress is usually measured in subtle increments of misery, the new product offers a rare satisfaction: swift, visible, fantastic efficacy.

This not only benefits the children, but also the developing countries. Some of the largest peanut plantations are located in developing countries, and the Plumpy'nut® can just be produced anywhere with a blender.

Despite controversial patent issues, Plumpy'nut® is like a revolutionizing medicine for children that are malnourished.

In an interview with Anderson Cooper on CBS, Dr. Milton Tectonidis, the chief nutritionist for Doctors Without Borders, "It's a revolution in nutritional affairs,"

"Now we have something. It is like an essential medicine. In three weeks, we can cure a kid that is looked like they're half dead. We can cure them just like an antibiotic. It?s just, boom! It's a spectacular response," Dr. Tectonidis says.

"It's the equivalent of penicillin, you?re saying?" Cooper asks.

"For these kids, for sure," the doctor says.

For more information about Anderson Cooper's cover on Plumpy'nut on CBS, please view the following video, 'Miracle' Food Saves Lives.


The next step is to get these wonderful life saver into the hands of children that are malnourished.

And how do we get Plumpy'nut®?
By getting involved with WILL WORK FOR FOOD!

One hundred percent of the money we raise together will help Doctors Without Borders purchase and distribute nutritional supplements, like Plumpy’nut®, to help save malnourished children.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Participant of the Week: Shelby Cashman

The WILL WORK FOR FOOD Greek Week Service Day at the University of Michigan was a huge success thanks to the incredible efforts and donations from all its participants and their supporters. Over 150 students volunteered in the Ann Arbor community and raised nearly $3,000 to fight malnutrition. Among all of the participants, one particular Sigma Kappa stands out from the crowd. Shelby Cashman, a freshman from Morristown, NJ, personally raised $1,000 with the help of a dozen sponsors! Shelby, who volunteers regularly in her community, has shown an incredible devotion to community service and the WILL WORK FOR FOOD initiative. To thank Shelby for her outstanding work, she is this week's Participant of the Week.

Q: What are you studying at Michigan?
A: I'm a Communications major with a possible minor in Greek studies. I eventually want to become involved in broadcast journalism.

Q: What else are you involved in at Michigan?
A: I'm in Sigma Kappa sorority, the Michigan Association of Communication Studies, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars here on campus.

Q: If you could meet anyone, who would it be and why?
A: I would love to meet Katie Couric. I aspire to have the incredible career she has in broadcast journalism. I would ask her about the steps she took to get where she is today (and I would follow them exactly, of course).

Q: Who is your role model?
A: My role model is my father. He grew up with not much at all and created an amazing life for me and my family. He is also one of the most intelligent (he always knows every answer to every Jeopardy question- no lie!) and charismatic people I know.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I would travel all over Greece, from Athens to the Islands. I am studying the language and really want to immerse myself in the culture and learn more about my heritage!

Q: How did you get so many people to sponsor you?
A: I got so many people to sponsor me by reaching out to all different members of the Michigan community, as well as my hometown. I told people about what we were doing for WILL WORK FOR FOOD, and everyone was really eager to help sponsor me for such an amazing cause.

Q: What exactly did you do for the service day?
A: I participated in publicity for the Ann Arbor Autism Foundation on Service Day for Greek Week. We passed out brochures about the organization to local doctor's offices to spread the word. I also volunteered at Brookhaven Nursing Home, where we threw the occupants a Valentine's Day party.

Q: What was your favorite aspect of service day?
A: My favorite thing about participating was the fact that I got to help so many different causes, all at the same time. My service efforts in the community benefit people locally, but with the addition of WILL WORK FOR FOOD's involvement, malnourished children on the other-side of the world are benefiting from my labor as well.

Q: Why did you decide to get involved with WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: WWFF is a one-of-a-kind program. It allows people's service efforts to benefit so many different people. Not many people realize how severe the issue of malnutrition is, and WWFF brings it to the front line. By bringing people's attention to this serious problem, WILL WORK FOR FOOD is helping the fight by making people want to not only do local community service, but get involved in a more serious global problem.

Still not a member of WILL WORK FOR FOOD? Get signed up and start working for food today!

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Participant of the Week: Amy Verhey

Amy Verhey is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Not only is Amy a campus representative for the university, but with the help of over 6 sponsors, she has also raised a substantial amount of money for WILL WORK FOR FOOD. Since Amy is so active with WWFF on her campus, we wanted to know more about her involvement in her own words and here's what she had to share:

Q: What are you studying at UW-Madison?
A: I'm currently undecided, but I'm interested in psychology, communications, and Spanish. After I graduate I would like to continue my education in graduate school.

Q: What's your favorite book?
A: Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Q: What is your favorite band?
A: Dashboard Confessional

Q: What is something you would like to do before you graduate?
A: I really want to study abroad in Spain and travel all over Europe. I think it would be an amazing experience!

Q: What else are you involved in at UW-Madison?
A: I'm the Vice President of Communications for my sorority, Pi Beta Phi. I'm also a member of the Dietetics and Nutrition Club, as well as Associated Women of Communications.

Q: How did you find out about WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: I found out about WWFF through my sorority. After hearing about its great purpose, I decided to become a campus representative and help spread the word throughout campus.

Q: What has been your most successful work effort?
A: I volunteer at Wisconsin Public Television. I primarily help during the network's telethons by answering phones and receiving donations. Through these telethons, I also got sponsors to sponsor me using the WILL WORK FOR FOOD website. I e-mailed my family and friends, and was thrilled that so many people were willing to donate to such a great cause such as child malnutrition.

Q: As UW-Madison's campus rep, what kinds of projects do you have planned for this semester?
A: We are going to plan a large event for the beginning of the semester to really get people involved. We have so many student groups and individuals who are signed up to help us kick off our first work effort of the semester!

Q: Why are you interested in participating in WILL WORK FOR FOOD?
A: When I heard about WWFF I joined immediately and am so glad I did. The malnutrition epidemic is such an important issue that definitely deserves more attention than it currently receives, and I think that WWFF does a great job spreading the word to colleges all across the nation. Since all the money we raise goes directly towards Doctors Without Borders and the purchase of Plumpy'nut, I know that my contribution really will make a huge difference.

Q: If you could describe WILL WORK FOR FOOD in one word, what would it be?
A: Rewarding

Lucy's experience is a perfect example of how you can have an impact in your local community while fighting child malnutrition with WILL WORK FOR FOOD.

Register at http://www.willworkforfood.org/user/register today and start working for food! Try using the "Get Sponsors" email to find friends and family to sponsor your work.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Malnutrition Kills Too Many Children

"Every year, malnutrition kills five million children - that's one child every six seconds."

This means that by the time you're done reading this sentence, a child will have died that could have been saved by a ready-to-use therapeutic food like Plumpy’nut.

What if you had the power to save some of these kids? Would you do something to help these innocent children live the long and healthy lives they deserve?

Realizing that our own personal lives are removed from the daily happenings of these severely malnourished children, we designed WILL WORK FOR FOOD to give people an opportunity to help their own communities (something we're all more familiar with) while raising relief funds to save these malnourished children.

Our "workers" volunteer in their own community and then ask friends and family members to sponsor this work with a donation. Every dollar raised helps our affiliates, Doctors Without Borders, purchase and distribute life-saving nutritional supplements to severely malnourished children.

With how connected the world is these days, we cannot just ignore this malnutrition epidemic that takes the lives of so many children. Time is ticking and kids need saving. So get involved today!

Visit our Get Involved page to sign up, Learn More pages for more information on Malnutrition and Plumpy'nut, or the Donate Now page to make a contribution.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

Food For Thought: How far can a donation go?

In our "Food For Though" posts, we'll share a new statement or fact with you every week. We'll follow these up with some extra information and also break them down for you in order to put things in perspective.

Volunteering in your community and finding one sponsor to donate to WILL WORK FOR FOOD can help save a malnourished kid.

Our slogan is simple: volunteering locally to save children globally. Volunteer in your own community and then ask a friend or family member to "sponsor" this work with a donation. The money raised will help save malnourished children abroad.

In some of our past posts we've written about the importance of community service and also provided some suggestions of how to get involved. Now we want to let you know just how important it is to get your work sponsored and how far a donation to WILL WORK FOR FOOD can go.

In the past, the average donation from a sponsor has been about $25. For $25 we can provide a severely malnourished child in Darfur with a week of Plumpy'nut AND a height/weight check up with a doctor. It only takes three weeks of Plumpy'nut and check ups to save the life of a malnourished child.

So if you volunteer in your community and ask friends or family members to sponsor your work, you can save a severely malnourished child. Volunteering locally to save children globally. It's as simple as that.

As of December 2009, WILL WORK FOR FOOD has raised over $17,000 and has saved hundreds of kids.

WILL YOU WORK FOR FOOD?

Check out the Get Involved page to learn more. You can also visit the Donate Now page to make a contribution.

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."

"Plumpy'nut is a life-saver"

Last month WILL WORK FOR FOOD had the privilege of introducing our initiative at a conference hosted by the University of Michigan’s Center for Global Health. At the event, students, professors and doctors from around the world were able to get together and share innovative ideas with one another.

We were fortunate enough to meet Anthony Sallar, a medical student in his final year at the University of Ghana Medical School, and some of his classmates. WILL WORK FOR FOOD caught their attention because of how we utilize Plumpy’nut to fight child malnutrition. Anthony and his classmates shared stories with us about how they have witnessed Plumpy’nut nurse malnourished kids back to health at a nutritional rehabilitation center in Ghana.

They went on to tell us about just how badly these kids suffering from malnutrition need nutritional supplements like Plumpy’nut. “Plumpy’nut is a life-saver,” they told us. Anthony and his friends were a powerful inspiration for us to keep spreading the WILL WORK FOR FOOD initiative and continuing to fight child malnutrition.

While we currently focus on saving malnourished kids in Darfur, meeting and hearing stories from people like Anthony is why we hope to be able to expand to other regions of the world soon. As the ancient Chinese proverb goes, “The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

Make a step today and Get Involved!

If you want to know every time WILL WORK FOR FOOD posts something new to our blog, email willworkforfoodblog@gmail.com with the subject line "Sign me up."