NEDERLAND - The Peak to Peak community joined together to fight world hunger at the Rise Against Hunger event on September 16, 2025, organized by the Nederland Community Presbyterian Church.

The group of 37 volunteers—from second graders to senior citizens—packaged 10,000 nutritious, easy to prepare meals to be sent to folks experiencing hunger around the world.

This is the tenth and final year of the Rise Against Hunger event organized by the church, resulting in a total of 100,000 meals being packaged by local residents during those ten events.

Local organizations represented at the event, held at TEENS, Inc., included 15 members of the Nederland Community Presbyterian Church, as well as members from the Nederland Lions Club and Peak to Peak Rotary Club. Representatives from these groups were among those who banged a gong each time the teams packaged 1,000 meals.

Paula Gipp, event organizer and Nederland Community Presbyterian Church Missions Elder, had the honor of banging the gong once the 10,000th meal was packaged.

“During Hunger Action Month our community came together to make an impact on this vital issue,” Gipp said. 

“I’m proud of our community for looking beyond our local area to help others facing hunger around the world. We will know soon where the meals we packaged this week will be sent to those in need.

“Last year the 10,000 meals we packaged went to help those starving in Sudan. We are grateful to everyone who has helped support this effort during the past 10 years.”

 Rise Against Hunger is an international organization that has been supporting the global effort to end world hunger since 1998. Last year alone, through volunteer efforts, the organization packaged more than 54.3 million meals, positively impacting 9.4 million lives.   

The sponsors who have made the Rise Against Hunger effort possible during the past 10 years include: Nederland Community Presbyterian Church, TEENS, Inc., Peak to Peak Rotary, Nederland Lions Club, Calvary Chapel, Mountain Forum for Peace, And Alexandra Schwan of the Mountain Home Team of Distinct Real Estate.

Also, The Mountain-Ear, Covered Wagon Restaurant, Crosscut Pizzeria and Taphouse, The Deli at 8326, The Rustic Moose, Mark Stringfellow of E1 Design Build Excavation, Hair by Holly, Homes by Jackie Jones Team/REMAX Alliance Realty, Hub Ned Co-Working, Mountain Man Outdoor Store, and Tadasana Mountain Yoga.

More sponsors include Augustina’s Winery, New Moon Café, Dam Liquor, Ford & Co. Realty, Indian Peaks Ace Hardware, Nederland Feed & Pet, Tres Gringos, Kathmandu Restaurant, B&F Mountain Market, Blue Owl, Brightwood Music, Hub Ned, The Shop, Very Nice Brewing, the Kolterman Family, Dr. Rachel Bos, the Busch Family, the Kochen Family, Mark Moll, Debbie Stevens, and Susan Wagner.