Kevin McPoyle hosts the Central Bucks MobilePack event in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Here, he shares his FMSC story as part of our Hope is Greater Because of You series. 

My FMSC story starts with an invitation to join a Men’s group called the Master’s Program. We met regularly, and in between quarterly meetings, read books about how to do and not just be a man of God.

One of the books we were given to read was "The Kingdom Assignment." Along with the book, we were given a $100 bill with the encouragement: "This is is God’s money. Do something with it!”

We were due to meet again in 90 days and share what we did or were doing with the money. That bill weighed heavily, stuck on my refrigerator in full view among my kids art projects and pictures. I felt as though I needed to develop something, have an epiphany, change the course of my life and mankind!

I was right on one of two counts.

A Clear Message

Still without a plan, we met 90 days later. I shared my frustration in not having an actionable plan. The facilitator, who travels nationally, wrote a cell number down on a scrap paper to someone who lived in Wisconsin (I knew no one in Wisconsin, except Brett Favre) and who had recently completed a MobilePack™ (what is that I wondered?) and suggested I call him. The call went pretty much like this:

Me: Hi, Bob Shank told me to call you about a thing you recently did called a MobilePack.
Other Guy: Hi! Yes, my dad and I were just going through the numbers and it looks like we packed enough meals to feed 745 kids a meal/day for a year. Blah, blah, blah…..
Me: I’m sorry to interrupt you. Can you say what you did for the kids again?
Other Guy: Sure, we packed enough meals this past weekend to feed 745 kids a meal/day for a year, blah, blah, blah…..
Me: Thank you!

It was as clear a message as I had ever received. I don’t normally hang up on people, but joining this effort to save kids was so incredibly clear to me. I had to do this MobilePack event in my community.

But, I still wasn’t sure how to spend the money. There was this mid-life crisis motorcycle (candy apple red) in my garage I wasn’t riding enough. Maybe that was where I should start. I spent my $100 on a classified ad in the local newspaper to sell the bike.

It didn’t work right away but I did eventually sell the bike. With the proceeds of the sale we seeded the first MobilePack in our community in 2012.

It was a one-day event at a public school cafeteria (God put the superintendent of schools in the same church I attend and I cornered him the hallway).

We set up, and we waited for people to show up. They did — after a few anxious moments — and it was a huge success in the community. Churches, clubs, sports teams, families and friends all came to be part of something unique. When we started the event, we didn’t have enough money or people. God, the best provider of all, made it possible for us to pack and pay for more than we planned.

Since 2012, we have hosted a MobilePack in our community in the fall every year. I have been on two Food in Action trips with FMSC; one in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic. The people we have met and the stories we come home with provide us the encouragement and enthusiasm we need to keep the process going. God refills our tank for the road ahead so we can make this work again. We’re planning to eclipse 1 million meals again this year for the third straight year.

Community Impact

 What I believe is really important is the impact a MobilePack has on a community. 

It has in a real sense changed and impacted families and groups in ways I never contemplated.

It varies from kids who get dragged by their parents to come to a Saturday shift who don’t want to give up their Saturday morning. Then they won’t leave after their shift because they realize the impact they are having on others.

It’s also the homeless family who thanked me for giving them the opportunity to help others. Their kids heard the invitation to come on K-Love in the car they were living in and told their Mom, “We have to help those kids.”

It’s the unbelievers who see people smiling and sweating and being God’s Hands and Feet and begin to see a relationship with Jesus as possible because Christians aren’t always hypocrites.

It is the corporations and community leaders and business leaders and Christian leaders giving their time, talent and treasure to help subsidize the school kids and the families who can’t afford to give but come for the experience.

We have had others launch a MobilePack because of what we’ve done in our little slice of the world. My pastor suggested when giving, we can either think of ourselves as a “spoon” to feed just ourselves, or we can be a "ladle" and help to feed others.

Because of FMSC and the opportunity offered to serve, I am now a “ladle," and I know our MobilePack has helped develop other “ladles" in our community.

And finally, it’s about believing in a God of love and mercy and grace. We have never started a MobilePack with enough money or people. Not on purpose, but it’s the reality of planning this without the benefit of full time help.

Every year, God delivers – without fail and without stress.

Because of You

You lead the charge here at home to make a difference across the globe.

You ignite a spark in others.

Without you hosting MobilePack events, without you regularly packing meals, without your lemonade stand, without your monthly giving, without your legacy giving, we wouldn’t be FMSC.

Hope is greater because of YOU.

This year, we’ll bring you stories of the difference you make every single day. We’ll highlight volunteers, donors, Hope Champions, FMSC staff and partners and so much more. And we would love to hear from you. Send your FMSC story to kkoranda@fmsc.org for a chance to be featured in this campaign. We can’t wait to hear from you!