It was the startling images of young children whose bodies were ravaged by hunger than prompted eight year old Jeremiah Faux, who lives at Rasmussen House with his mom, to take action.
The Faux family attended the on campus Hunger Banquet Nov. 12, which featured a compelling short film about global hunger and poverty.
Faux decided he wanted to reach out to is peers across the world and make a difference.
“I saw the video and how the little kids have extended bellies that makes them look like they’re full but really they aren’t,” J. Faux said, “I was shocked and I just want to help.”
His mother, Amanda Faux, a member of the Women with Children Program, got in contact with Hefier International, a global nonprofit organization who has the means of ending poverty by providing livestock, seeds and trees to families in need.
The organization provided fundraising kits, which include 10 gift catalogs, 20 general brochures, 20 fact sheets, 20 honor cards and 10 of the latest issues of World Ark magazine.
“I was very impressed when he expressed to me he wanted to do this,” Faux’s mother said, “and very proud.”
She then contacted Student Activities Director Darcy Brodmerkel about having a table in Student Banks Life Center Lobby to get students involved with the project.
Students who learned of Jeremiah’s project were moved and intrigued by his story.
“It’s a good feeling to see someone at such a young age understand how to help those in need and are aware of worldly problems,” junior physical therapy major Robin O’Dell said.
Jeremiah will have a table Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in Student Banks Lobby to collect money and tell the story about what he learned from the Hunger Banquet and video.
Both the Faux’s appreciate anything the members of the MU community can help out with.
“Every little penny counts, whatever anyone can afford. We’ll really take anything,” Amanda Faux said.