Nation’s Oldest Anti-Hunger Campaign Celebrates (NAPSA)—Over the past 30 years, more than a million people have taken part in hundreds of annual America Oxfam Fast for a World Harvest events to raise awareness, support hungerrelief and provide economic opportunity for those in need around the world. “The Fast’s 30th anniversary is very special to us,” said Oxfam president Raymond C. Offenheiser. “During these three decades we have touched thousandsoflives. Fast participants teach their communities that poverty is not inevitable and that hunger can be overcome.” To combat hunger and to educate their peers on the global issues of hunger and poverty, Fast participants choose to skip a meal, go without food for a day, host an Oxfam Hunger Banquet or orga- nize other creative educational events. Whether acting as individuals or members of a church, school, university or community group, Fast participants have a chanceto understand that hunger is not an isolated problem and that their actions can makea real difference in people’s lives. Today, 840 million people worldwide suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic malnutrition and hunger. Envision nearly three times the population of the United States suffering severe hunger every day. Over 30,000 children under the age offive die each day from hunger and other preventable causes. Over the past three decades, Fast organizers have raised mil- Every year, people across Amer- ica take part in Oxfam Fast events to help end hunger. lions of dollars for Oxfam’s efforts to fight hunger and poverty in over 30 countries. As a result, whole communities have gone from subsistence farming to thriving agricultural markets; other communities have received humanitarian relief and Americans have sent a positive and caring messageto the world. The Fast began in 1974 on the Thursday before Thanksgiving, when 250,000 people fasted for the day or skipped a meal, donating the money they would have spent on food to Oxfam’s humanitarian work. “The Fast makes it so easy, making small sacrifices that are meaningless to us, to make profound differences in the lives of other people,” said Steven Land, a New York City-based lawyer, who has taken part in the campaign for 30 years. For more information on how you can get involved with the Fast, visit www.oxfamamerica.org or call 800/597-FAST.
