High school students learn about world hunger during 24-hour fast

Six high school students from St. James Catholic Church participated in a 24-hour fast meant to raise awareness of hunger in the developing world and raise money to help combat it.

Over the course of 24 hours which began the evening of Friday, March 11, students fasted - missing three main meals and consuming only juice and water - and participated in prayer and discussion. Participants took pledges for each hour they fasted, raising $1,400 for Catholic Relief Services, which provides quality education, health care, food and development activities overseas.

Students also packed food at Feed My Starving Children in Schaumburg, which sends food to partners around the world for use in orphanages, schools, clinics and feeding programs, and helped serve guests during a Knights of Columbus fish fry.

"By participating in the food fast, students stood in solidarity with the poor around the world," explained Sr. Faustina Ferko, director of the St. James Youth Ministry. "They also reflected on where their food comes from and their relationship with food in general."

One student wrote, "I have not considered my food choices impacting those who are hungry, but once I read that 1.3 billion tons of food is thrown away every year, I realized it's important!"

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