San Diego's Million Meal Event packs 2 million meals for global hunger relief

The Diocese of San Diego’s permanent deacons recently hosted their fifth Million Meal Event. Held over the weekend of June 13-14 at Cathedral Catholic High School, the initiative aimed to provide food for vulnerable communities. The project is part of a long-standing effort to support those in need through collaboration with other organisations. Deacon Jim Scull and his team first launched the Million Meal Event five years ago. The inaugural packing session produced 1 million nutritious meals for families in Tijuana and Africa. Since then, the event has grown in scale, with this year’s edition being the largest yet.

Around 5,100 volunteers gathered to pack 2 million meals during the two-day event. Catholic Charities joined the deacons to expand the effort, setting a target of 3 million meals in total. The event’s costs reached approximately $600,000 this year.

The deacons worked alongside Kids Around the World, an organisation that distributes meals internationally. This year’s event was one of nearly 200 packing initiatives Kids Around the World plans to support in 2026. The fifth Million Meal Event resulted in 2 million meals packed by volunteers. These will be distributed to impoverished families through global partnerships. The collaboration between the deacons, Catholic Charities, and Kids Around the World has strengthened the initiative’s reach and impact.