LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Several community churches came together Monday to help "Pack Away Hunger." Nearly 50,000 meals were packaged.

The meals were made using a rice and protein mix. They included other vitamins and minerals for nutrition.

Half of the meals will be distributed locally through Food Finders. The remainder will be donated to "Food for the Poor" in Guatemala.

Will Peugeot helped organize the event. He said it was created to provide for those in need both near and far. "Our congregation and Christ United Methodist Church did a mission trip to Guatemala together. We saw the need and decided this is something we could do,” said Peugeot.

He added the day's success wouldn't be possible without volunteers from the community. "This is the diversity of the dynamics of the whole community with Purdue students and full time residents here. It's a great opportunity to see this working together,” said Peugeot.

This was the eighth year for the event. Since its start more than 450,000 meals have been packaged.