The Project SPAMMY^® Experience

On Tuesday, we began the day by visiting the Caritas warehouse, which is where the SPAMMY^® product is stored before it is distributed, and also learned more about Project SPAMMY^®. Hormel Foods developed SPAMMY^®, a shelf-stable poultry product that is fortified with vitamins and minerals, to help prevent childhood malnutrition in Guatemala. The company donates more than 2 million cans of SPAMMY^® each year and has also helped open learning centers for children and provided scholarships.

After learning more about the program, we visited a nearby home to experience what the living conditions are like for many people. It was very eye-opening to see these conditions compared to what many of us are used to. For example, fire pits are used for cooking at many homes instead of stoves, and buckets of water – instead of washing machines – are used to hand-wash clothing.

We then visited a learning center called a chispa center. At these centers, children develop skills at different stations. Hormel Foods has helped open more than 20 chispa centers in Guatemala. We were able to play with the children at the different stations, and I was so impressed with them! It was very enjoyable playing and communicating with them, even though we didn’t speak the same language.

That afternoon we traveled to a community center where we helped take the height and weight measurements of children who receive SPAMMY^® to monitor their progress, distributed SPAMMY^® and other food items to families and also played with children who were there. It was enjoyable to help hand out food, and it was also special when the children came up to us and gave us hugs before we left, even though we had just met them.

That evening our group went out to eat, and we reflected on the day. Reflection each day is an important part of the trip. It is interesting hearing everyone’s experiences and perspectives!