CAFOD’s Family Fast Day this Lent is an opportunity to support our brothers and sisters who don’t have enough to eat. On Friday 23 February can you give up a meal, or eat a simple meal, in solidarity?
With malnutrition still killing almost three million children a year, your fasting, prayers and donations will ensure more of God’s children have enough good food to eat.
And this Lent, your donation will make double the difference. For every pound you donate to CAFOD, the UK Government will also donate a pound, up to a total of £5 million, meaning twice the number of lives can be transformed. Twice the number of children can have the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong.
Why fast?
£6=£12: Provides seeds to grow peanuts and make nutritious peanut butter
£28=£56: Buy all the seeds needed for a family to plant a garden full of vegetables
£97=£194: Teach two health workers and a network of local mums how to spot signs of malnutrition in children
In 1960, a group of Catholic women did something extraordinary. They organised the rst Family Fast Day to support mothers and babies in Dominica who were suffering from malnutrition. They received overwhelming support. From this, CAFOD was born.
Elspeth Orchard, one of CAFOD’s founders, explained: “We weren’t doing anything special, we were just doing what we thought we ought to do, remembering that we are all God’s children.”
Our fast is a symbolic act of love for people who have to go without food.
Whether you fast on your own, with your parish, give up a meal, or organise a soup lunch, your fasting, prayers and donations will mean more of God’s children have enough good food to eat.