30 Hour Famine

First United Methodist students will fight hunger “ON AN EMPTY STOMACH” for children worldwide

Marshall, MO – Wars and natural disasters all over the world dominate the daily headlines, but behind the scenes and far from the spotlight, hunger and preventable diseases claim the lives of 25,000 of the world’s children every day.

Right now, more than 1 billion people worldwide don’t have enough to eat. Annually, more than 9 million children under the age of 5 die from disease and malnutrition as a result of hunger. But world hunger is 100 percent preventable, and teens from First United Methodist Church are ready to be a part of the solution.

March 19-20, they will be joining the efforts of hundreds of thousands of young people all over the nation who will set aside the usual “stuff” that fills their daily lives. Instead, they will do World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine “ON AN EMPTY STOMACH” – the theme for this year. By going without food, they get a taste of what the world’s poorest children and families face every day. Prior to the event weekend, students raise funds with the knowledge that every $30 they raise can help feed and care for a child for a month. Groups are also encouraged to perform hands-on service projects during the weekend in order to make a difference in their own communities.

As part of the Famine, local participants will be collecting can good and dry good items from the neighborhood surrounding the church the morning of March 20th and that very same afternoon will be working on the local Habitat for Humanity house.

Funds raised by 30 Hour Famine participants help feed and care for children in communities in need around the globe through World Vision. Additionally, a portion of the funds raised support World Vision’s efforts to assist families in need in the United States. Famine funds contribute to World Vision’s response in areas where famine, conflict, and other crises make children vulnerable to hunger and preventable disease. Since 1992, 30 Hour Famine has raised close to $130 million, representing countless lives saved. World Vision works in nearly 100 countries, helping approximately 100 million people every year.

Visit www.30hourfamine.org or call 800-7-FAMINE for more information.

Media contact: John Yeager - World Vision, (253) 815-2356 (office); (425) 765-9845 (cell)
Church contact: Matt Riley- Youth and Children's Director, (660) 886-9697 or fumc@socket.net

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, visit www.worldvision.org.