This week, Real Life Church and volunteers from across the Santa Clarita Valley are adding to the 1.8 million meals that have already been packed and shipped to children in Uganda, the Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, Haiti and Malawi. The third annual Million Meals Marathon is scheduled for Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Westfield Valencia Town Center parking lot near the corner of Magic Mountain Parkway and Citrus Street.

This year, thousands of meals will benefit needy children in Malawi and the Dominican Republic through Children of the Nations, a nonprofit that partners “with nationals to provide holistic, Christ-centered care for orphaned and destitute children, enabling them to create positive and lasting change in their nations,” according to their website.

“I love the SCV Million Meals Marathon,” said Rusty George, lead pastor of Real Life Church, “because it shows our community that although the churches in our valley may have different worship styles and teaching methods, we are all committed to the same core principle–loving God and loving people.”

The event will be open to the public, as well as volunteers from participating churches, and feature the following activities:

* Gates open at 8 a.m. with two different packing times designated for local church volunteers as well as the general public to participate, from 9 to 10 a.m. and again from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

* In addition to packing meals, there will also be opportunities to write personal letters to childrenreceiving meals, decorate boxes in which the meals are delivered, as well as learn how to provide ongoing sponsorship of a child through financial contributions

* KHTS AM-1220 will be broadcasting live from the event, which will also feature music from popular local band Tewks and Beans

“The strong partnership between Santa Clarita Valley churches, businesses and individuals in the community and Children of the Nations continues to be an answer to a child’s prayer,” said Eric Nachtrieb, senior director of National Field Services for Children of the Nations USA. “These meals satisfy their hunger, but more importantly, nourish their souls to help break the chains of poverty so they can play a productive role in changing the communities where they live.”

Local churches scheduled to participate in the SCV Million Meal Marathon are:

* Christ Lutheran Church

* South Valley Church

* Crossroads Community Church

* The Church on the Way Santa Clarita

* Living Grace Christian Fellowship

* The Sanctuary

* NorthPark Community Church

* Valencia Hills Community Church

* Real Life Church

In addition to the global outreach provided by Children of the Nations, the event will also give local non-profit Help the Children the opportunity to explain their role in helping to feed and clothe needy families much closer to home–within the Santa Clarita Valley.

For more information about the SCV Million Meal Marathon event or Real Life Church, [click here].