First Christian Church in Elizabethton is joining a nation-wide movement to end childhood hunger this month, preparing a fundraiser concert to send food items to children in need.

Judy Donley, a member of First Christian, said their goal is to raise $2,500 for their donations.

“We already have some people who have donated,” Donley said.

The concert is taking place to raise money for Kids Against Hunger, a national non-profit whose goal is to work to reduce child hunger as much as they can by providing access to nutritious food supplies. Donley said they first heard about the organization from Boones Creek Christian Church.

“Some of our board members went there, and they thought that was beneficial,” she said. “We wanted to participate, too.”

All the money First Christian will raise will go directly towards purchasing food, in a system similar to Operation Christmas Child. The church will set a later date to package all the food they purchase so they can send it all off to Boones Creek, which Donley said is the region’s satellite representative.

She said she is most excited by how efficiently the organization can feed people, saying they can feed 216 people with only $54.

“We are able to help others without having to spend a lot of money,” she said.

She said these efforts are vital not just for people in the U.S., but the world as a whole.

“A lot of people are starving in the world,” Donley said. “We are trying to help people be blessed.”

Several local musicians will be lending their talents for the fundraiser including Deborah Knapp, one of the first people to suggest the idea of participating in this organization.

“I am just doing my part,” Donley said. “Everyone can do something. This is my something.”

She said their goal of $2,500 they want to raise can feed roughly 10,000 people around the world.

She said the church will set a date on when they will package and ship the food off once they have reached their goal, but when they do, Donley said anyone and everyone is invited to help the church set everything up.

The concert will take place Sunday, May 19, starting at 6 p.m. First Christian Church is located at 513 Hattie Avenue in Elizabethton.

“We hope it will be inspirational,” Donley said. “We want people to enjoy it.”