Letter: Local Youth Prepare to Fast to Benefit PRISM, Near Food Shelves

This year as in years past, the need to help our local food shelf continues. Many of our neighbors, many unknown to us visit the food shelves of PRISM and Near, as a means to support their family in these uncertain times, they visit to put food on the table and nourish their kids.

I am again this year writing to let you know of a group of high school and middle school students who will come together the first weekend in March to do a 30-hour fast

The youth are mostly members of St. Joseph Parish in New Hope. Many are students who attend local schools. Some bring friends to participate from other churches. As in years past, the students start their fast on Friday while at school at 1pm. After school, they come to the parish center to stay for the remaining 30 hours. The students camp out in the church hall, and spend their time connecting with and doing service projects for those in need, both in the local area and beyond. Saturday night the youth and their leaders then come together again to break their fast at 7pm.

Many of the students seek and get sponsorship(s). The participation fee along with the sponsored monies goes to aid our community by being passed along to PRISM. PRISM also benefits from the food drive that also happens on the fast weekend. Another project to benefit from the 30 Fast efforts will be "Kids Pac" - this is a project that is in partnership with local elementary schools, churches and PRISM.

Fasting students will go door to door in New Hope and surrounding areas in the early evening of Friday, March 1st, asking for food donations that they will turn in to PRISM on Saturday morning, when they stock the shelves.

If one of the students comes knocking and has a card from St.Joe's, please give what you can. If it happens that our youth miss your home and donation, food and monetary donations will also be accepted at St. Joe's throughout the week leading to & on Saturday March 2nd. St Joes is located at the corner of 36th and Boone in New Hope.

Monetary donations may also be mailed to 30 Hour Fast @ Parish Community of St Joesph 8701 36th Ave N New Hope, MN 55427 and will be passed along in full to PRISM.

Online donations may be made here.

Thank you for supporting local youth.

Aileen White
Plymouth