Introductory materials

Fasting and children

Learn more about how children can safely fast in recognition of the global food crisis.

• Fasting for Youth — 52 things you can do
• Children and Fasting (for parents)
  Download and print this article.
• Slow Down – and Fast (for kids)
  Download and print this article.

Global Food Crisis 101

Learn more about the factors and trends that have led to the global food crisis. These presentations include initial ideas on possible solutions. Prepared by the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

• Download Global Food Crisis Power Point Presentation
• Download Global Food Crisis 101

Learn more at the Food Crisis Resource Center.

Dates and themes for monthly fasts

October 3-5
Focus: The Right to Food
Country: Cameroon

October 31–November 2
Focus: Food Aid
Country: Haiti

December 5-7
Focus: Agrofuels (Biofuels)
Country: Guatemala and the United States

January 2-4
Focus: Violence and Food Insecurity
Country: Democractic Republic of the Congo

January 30–February 1
Focus: Increased Demand on Food
Country: India

February 27–March 1
Focus: War, Hunger and Recovery
Country: Sudan

April 3-5
Focus: Climate Change and Water
Country: Peru

May 1-3
Focus: Debt and Economics
Country: Haiti

June 5-7
Focus: Privatization & Speculation
Country: Brazil

July 3-5
Focus: Agribusiness Accountability and Pigs
Country: United States of America

July 31-August 2
Focus: Land and Soil
Country: South Korea

September 4-6
Focus: Food Sovereignty — locally and globally
Country: Your neighborhood/world

October 2-4
Culmination with World Food Day — October 16

2008 General Assembly action: On Mobilizing Presbyterians for a Significant Response to the Global Food Crisis

That the 218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) urgently take the following steps in response to the global food crisis:

1. Launch a general appeal to all Presbyterians to donate to a special fund set up by the General Assembly Mission Council to enable the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to provide better support to and accompaniment of our overseas partners trying to step up their response to the global food crisis.
2. Step up and speed up mission personnel deployment, in response to overseas partners who so request, to advise and accompany them as to the kinds of actions that could be undertaken to alleviate hunger in the short term without creating new dependencies and/or compromising their countries’ sovereignty and economy.
3. Invite all Presbyterians to join in the church-wide practice of spiritual disciplines, such as monthly fasting for repentance and reflection, which may lead to meaningful coordinated actions to accompany those who are poor and hungry around the world.
4. Produce relevant resources, using all available communications means, to raise the awareness of Presbyterians about the current food crisis, including the dangers for the U.S. government, the European Union, and other international entities who want to use the current food crisis as an opportunity to offer more direct food aid exports and genetically modified (GMO) seeds to affected countries, instead of offering economic and financial assistance to enable them to increase the production and marketing of their own traditional food commodities.
5. Call on the Stated Clerk and on appropriate entities of the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) to contact the U.S. government, the World Bank, and other relevant institutions, to call for the continued pursuit of debt relief as well as an immediate increase in their financial assistance for food aid and agricultural development in developing countries.

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