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Hundreds of people united in Columbia Sunday to crush hunger around the world with compassion and giving.

 Crush Hunger 2012 was a joint effort between several area churches and Humana.

All of the volunteers gathered at the Parkade Center to help put together food packs for needy children in Africa and in Missouri.

The foods packs they put together included dry rice, pinto beans, soy beans, and a vitamin pack.

Organizers say the goal of feeding 1 million hungry people came about when they didn't reach their first goal.

"We raised enough to make 100,000, but we don't like defeat, so we're like 'okay, can we run at it again, can we do this again?' “ said organizer Stephen McBee. “So, we're looking between now and 2017 to do this again for the next five years to raise enough food to feed 1 million people."

Organizers say the food packs will be sent to Humana's facility in Kansas before some of the will be distributed and sent over to Africa.