CRS Food Fast Information for 2010-11

Please find information for CRS' Food Fast for 2010-11 here.

CRS' Food Fast Program - REMINDER

As you know, one of the great gifts of our Catholic faith and tradition is Catholic Social Teaching. Combine this with the desire of our youth to act upon their faith. Add the need of many young people to perform community service hours for school, honor society, Scouting, etc. and you have a win-win opportunity to help our youth grow in understanding of the Catholic Faith and to empower them to make a difference in the lives of others.

Many of you heard at "Catholic Youth Louder than Before! Convention 2009" about the incredible work done by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in the name of the Catholic Church throughout the world. CRS has a program and resources entitled "Food Fast" that is a great structure to offer an opportunity to do a retreat for Confirmation, to prepare mission trekkers, to engage our youth in the message of CST and solidarity with the marginalized.

All permission slips, schedules, activities, prayers, ice breakers are available on line at the Food Fast website and are new, fresh and powerful. www.foodfast.org CRS West Youth Programs Coordinator, Jeanine Boucher-Colbert (503-282-6406) can put you in touch with other youth leaders who have implemented this program in their parish, school or deanery!

CRS provides speakers for the Food Fast program which can be arranged through Mikaele Sansone at 410-951-7336 or msansone@crs.org.

CRS has more than 70 priests, deacons, and seminarians committed to spreading the message about our gospel call to global solidarity. Our Global Fellows have witnessed firsthand how the work of CRS helps bring joy and assistance to those in need around the world.
A CRS Global Fellow can visit your youth group and community and share how CRS is helping those who are hungry overseas.

RESOURCE - Food Fast with CRS

Join Food Fast 2009-2010
Help young people show others what a difference they can make!

Join Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and assist the poor overseas by holding a Food Fast with your teens. Food Fast is Catholic Relief Services’ 24-hour awareness program for Catholic youth. Focusing on global poverty and hunger, Food Fast offers a journey of solidarity with our brothers and sisters overseas, as a way of living out our Catholic faith.

This is a great way to incorporate Catholic Social Teaching into your program. This can be incorporated into your program during Confirmation, Lent or as a pre-mission trip preparation experience.

To order your FREE resources (available in both Spanish and English) and/or for more information about the program, visit the Food Fast website, or call 1-800-222-0025.

REGION XII Meeting - Portland, OR

Frances, Bridget and I just returned late yesterday from the Region XII Youth and Young Adult Ministry Gathering in Portland, OR that took place May 5-7. All in all, it was a fruitful meeting that gave us an opportunity to conduct business related to the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), do some reflection on "Co-Workers in the Vineyard", talk about the goings on in our respective regions, share resources and approaches to ministry and hear from collaborating members Jeanine Boucher-Colbert (CRS) and Tom Tomaszek (OCP). Dioceses from our region that were represented were: Helena, Boise, Spokane, Baker, Portland and Seattle. We look forward to sharing with you the fruits of our experience in the months to come.

World Fair Trade Day - May 9, 2009!

From Jeanine Boucher-Colbert, CRS West, Youth Programs

Please join CRS in celebrating World Fair Trade Day. Be part of a movement in the US to beat the World Record for the largest Fair Trade Break and build a movement of hope around the world. On and around Saturday, May 9, you can join hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and in over 80 countries to promote Fair Trade and campaign for trade justice together with farmers and artisans around the world.

In the U.S. we are doing our part by setting the record straight. Please join workplaces, churches, synagogues, schools, businesses & neighbors as we help break last year's World's Largest Fair Trade break. We are aiming for 55,000 total participants in the US!

How can you participate? Between May 1-10 you can:

1. Count a Fair Trade coffee break at your parish or schools!
2. Kick around a Fair Trade soccer ball!
3. Make lemonade with Fair Trade sugar!
4. Share a Fair Trade chocolate bar from Divine or Equal Exchange.
5. Hold a Work of Human Hands Sale!

Check out this short video from the Fair Trade Resource Network to get an idea of what World Fair Trade Day is about.

It's easy! Just remember to send a short description of your event and the number of people who attended to Jackie DeCarlo, Fair Trade Coordinator at Catholic Relief Services BEFORE May 15! You can reach Jackie here.

ORDER YOUR FREE RESOURCES today from the Fair Trade Resource Network

Learn more about how Catholic Relief Services' brings a better future to farmers and artisans at CRS Fair Trade. Join us in building the Fair Trade movement on and around May 9th! With economic justice, everyone wins!

Call me if you have any questions!

Peace,
Jeanine Jeanine Boucher-Colbert
Youth Programs, CRS West
503-282-6406