Mennonite
Central
Committee

Meat Canning

Keeping the Wheels Rolling

 

 

 

Food Disaster Material Resources Program Coordinator

MCC ships a large amount of canned meat every year to the former Soviet republics of Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. The canned food is often a significant help to people that cannot afford the luxury of meat, and their impact goes far beyond the nutritional benefits.

One of MCC’s priorities is peace-building in the North Caucasus. Our partner, North Ossetian Mission for Christian Compassion, in Vladikavkaz, Russia, receives the canned meat and distributes it to the residents of an Ingush settlement for displaced persons, Novi. The act of giving the meat is a significant symbol of peace-building between the North Ossetians and the Ingush, two ethnic groups that are in conflict as a result of Stalin-era policies. Thus the meat is given to a community as part of a larger movement towards building relationships and promoting mutual respect.

Orphaned and abandoned children are another group that is benefiting from MCC’s canned meat program. The Ukrainian government has difficulty financing its current system of orphanages. As a result, the orphanages are not able to provide the nutritional requirements for the children. MCC partners combine the distribution of meat with other programs that help children without parents.

The seniors in the former Soviet Union are another significant group facing serious financial challenges. With fixed pensions it is hard to for them to buy basic necessities. The cans of meat help elderly people get through the winters, especially in the villages where many of them live off of preserved food from their gardens. There’s one other aspect that elderly people love about the meat: One cook at a seniors’ home near Saran, Kazakhstan, said that the residents appreciate the canned meat because it is easier for their teeth to chew than the market meat.

Overall, the distribution of canned meat promotes better nutrition and helps build relationships. In giving, the giver shows love and compassion. In receiving, the receiver knows that others care for them.