Jacksonville’s Meskel & Associates Engineering (MAE) is currently working on one of the company’s most meaningful projects to date — creating hope and easing hunger for local children in need.
The company has joined forces with the 501(c)3 non-profit organization Hunger Fight to provide much-needed meals for kids who may not have access to food outside of school hours.
“I met Hunger Fight’s Executive Director, Sherri Porter, and her husband, Dean, in 2021 at a Jacksonville Chamber Board event,” said Tina Meskel, President and Principal Engineer at Meskel & Associates. “They shared how their agency was helping children who rely on school breakfasts and lunches because many kids in our area don’t have enough to eat, especially on weekends.”
During the meeting, attendees shared their own experiences witnessing childhood hunger in local schools. One story, in particular, stood out: a man recalled seeing a girl at school eating her breakfast very quickly. When he asked if she had eaten over the weekend, she replied that she had — she ate her toothpaste, obviously because it was the only thing available.
“That hit me hard,” Meskel said. “Before hearing Dean and Sherri speak, I didn’t realize how prevalent child hunger was in our community. One of our company values is Giving Back: donating our time, resources, experience and skills to help create a better community. I knew right then that MAE had to get involved.”
Meskel quickly organized company volunteers to participate in one of Hunger Fight’s packing events. These events bring together volunteers to pack shelf-stable, flavorful and nutritious meal kits, which are distributed to children through the Hunger Fight Feed the Backpacks program to provide “food for their bellies” over the weekend. The meals are simple and can be prepared with just water and a microwave, ensuring that the children can prepare them on their own.
Packing events are held several times a year, with the largest one happening annually near Thanksgiving at the Prime Osborne Center. Meskel and her team not only fill multiple tables at these events with MAE employees but have set a corporate goal of persuading new companies to bring a team and join them.
“It’s a great team-building activity for any company or service group. It brings people together,” Meskel said. “It’s also easy to participate. There’s upbeat music, the tables have friendly competitions to see who can pack the fastest, and there are Cow Bells! Lots of Cow Bells! It’s a fun way to make a real impact on our community.”
Meskel’s involvement didn’t stop at packing meals. She now serves on the Board of Directors for Hunger Fight, and MAE is donating engineering services for Hunger Fight’s latest project: the construction of their new building located on St. Johns Bluff, just north of Atlantic Blvd.
“We’re donating our services, including construction materials testing of soil and concrete, and Private Provider plan review and Florida Building Code compliance inspections,” Meskel said. “It’s an honor to contribute in any way we can.”
In the last few years, Hunger Fight has expanded its mission beyond hunger relief and introduced a new program — Feed the Need to Read, which focuses on developing literacy skills in children from birth to five years old by providing age-appropriate books.
“Our goal is to ensure that the children in our community are well-fed and well-read,” said Sherri Porter. “We’re feeding their minds along with their bodies. Our programs tackle two critical issues impacting children’s success in school—hunger and literacy.”
Since Hunger Fight began nearly a decade ago, the organization has provided over 25 million meals and delivered more than 362,000 books to local children – a testament to the growing need and their expanding efforts.
“It’s heartbreaking that the need keeps growing, but we’re fortunate to have an incredible local organization like Hunger Fight,” Meskel said. “Their efforts give us all the chance to make a difference in the lives of children in our community. We’re not just providing meals and books—we’re giving these kids hope and helping them succeed in both the present and the future. I strongly encourage everyone to get involved, whether through volunteering, donations, or spreading awareness. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of the children on the First Coast.”
For more information about Hunger Fight and how you can help, visit hungerfight.org.
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