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Founding
Challenged by needs he’d seen on missions in Honduras, in 1982 Minnesota businessman Richard Proudfit heard God say, “If you’ve seen my starving children, feed them.” In early 1987 he incorporated Feed My Starving Children to develop an original meal formula. -
Rice Formula Finalized
Cargill food scientist Dr. Richard Fulmer teamed up with colleagues from Pillsbury and General Mills to develop a nutritious “Fortified Rice Soy Casserole” for malnourished children, average age 5. FMSC changed the name to MannaPack™ Rice in 2008. -
Volunteer Production Underway
After bottles, cartons and machine-canning were ruled out, a timely donation came: 1 million plastic bags from a discontinued Green Giant product. Board members trial-packed a few bags and today’s model was born. In 2005, productivity jumped 40% when engineers recommended packers form “cells” around the funnel. -
First Shipments
The first major shipment of meals went to a Rwanda pediatric hospital via Operation Blessing; to Haiti via Mercy Ships; to Belarus; and to Paraguay. Since 1994, FMSC has distributed food to nearly 70 countries through hundreds of embedded partners. More than 99% of meals have arrived safely. -
Transition & Rededication
For many years, FMSC struggled to produce 2-3 million meals a year and the founder left in 1998 to start a different charity. In December 2003, the board rededicated FMSC to Christ and in April 2004 hired Executive Director/CEO Mark Crea. Prayer became everyday practice, support increased, and FMSC began to grow. -
First Site Expansion
One site in Brooklyn Park, Minn. expanded to two in 2004 with a site in Eagan. Other expansions rapidly followed: Chanhassen, Minn. in 2006; Aurora, Ill. in 2008; Schaumburg, Ill. in 2010; Tempe, Arizona in 2011; and Libertyville, Ill. in November 2012. In 2009 the Brooklyn Park headquarters and packing site moved to its current location in Coon Rapids. In 2015 the Tempe packing site moved to Mesa. In 2014 we opened a warehouse in Georgia & in 2015 a warehouse in Middletown, Pennsylvania. -
First MobilePack Events
Youth Encounter (YE) asked FMSC to bring a service experience to 300 students gathering in Kansas City. It was successful, and YE asked for more events. MobilePack was born. -
New Formulas
FMSC collaborated with leading HIV nutritionist Cade Fields-Gardner, M.S. LCN, to develop the world’s first and only food to treat diarrhea, a leading killer of children and the ill. When orphanages began using the smooth formula with infants, in 2010 FMSC had it modified into Potato-W, a weaning food for babies 7-12 months old. -
Serving in Disasters
FMSC doubled meals to Haiti after its January 2010 earthquake, and stretched to alleviate E. Africa’s famine in 2011. Both times, the board stepped out in faith to commit meals beyond budget. God has blessed us with greater support and, along with greater operating efficiencies, FMSC is well-positioned to serve growing food needs around the world. -
Last Years Progress
By earning Charity Navigator’s highest rating for 11 consecutive years, FMSC is among the nation’s 1% most -trustworthy charities. But the most important successes are the children—like Jonise of Haiti—given hope through MannaPack™ meals, and now leading productive lives.
