CNN Hero: 'This is the most incredible opportunity we have ever had to raise awareness of this vital work'

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/10/11/art.barrow.cnn.jpg caption="Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow's program, Mary’s Meals – run from a tin shed in the Scottish highlands - provides free daily meals to more than 400,000 children around the world."]

Programming Note: CNN Heroes received more than ten thousand nominations from 100 countries. A Blue Ribbon Panel selected the Top 10 CNN Heroes for the year. Voting for the CNN Hero of the Year continues through November 18th (6am ET) at CNNHeroes.com

MAGNUS MACFARLANE-BARROW
Editor's Note: Since 1992, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow has dedicated his life to helping people in need. Today, his program, Mary’s Meals – run from a tin shed in the Scottish highlands - provides free daily meals to more than 400,000 children around the world.

When I got the call, I was actually in a car on the way from Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital. Mary’s Meals was chosen to be part of the festivities to celebrate the Pope's visit and his historic meeting with the queen. Mary's Meals volunteers turned out in force and spent the day on the streets collecting cans and handing out Mary’s Meals literature. As usual, we were astounded by people’s generosity.

Your incredible news made an already fantastic day even more wonderful! I was genuinely shocked to learn I had made the Top 10 – especially because I have been so moved and impressed by all those other people featured as Heroes!

I still feel a little embarrassed by this whole thing. Mary’s Meals is a movement – thousands of people all over globe doing small things everyday so that hungry children can be fed. No one doing anything spectacular - just lots and lots of little acts of love - so to be singled out can sometimes feel slightly embarrassing. But at the same time, I know that this is the most incredible opportunity we have ever had to raise awareness of this vital work. I have no doubt that by highlighting the work of Mary’s Meals to a global audience, CNN is going to enable many more hungry children to start receiving daily meals in school and that makes me so so happy!

In this world of plenty, no child need starve and yet today thousands will die of hunger-related causes. Our vision – that every child in the world receive one good meal every day in a place of education – can be realized.

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