Bloomfield youth group to help those in need of food

It's always refreshing to hear about our youth doing something positive and making a difference.

The FLAMES youth group from the Bloomfield First Baptist Church will be doing just that this weekend.

Members of the youth group will raise funds to help feed the hungry, both local and around the world. They will go without food for 30 hours -- from 8 a.m. on Saturday to 2 p.m. on Sunday -- to raise awareness of the problem, go door to door collecting food for the Greene County Ministerial Association's food pantry at the church, and also conduct a yard sale with all proceeds going to the fundraiser.

"It's a program World Vision puts together, and we did it last year so we thought we'd try it again," co-youth leader Tasha Hudson said.

She leads the group along with her husband Braden.

"The 30 hours is because for $30 you can feed a child for a month. We try to get the kids to set a goal of what they want to do, giving support for one month or one year. We try to raise that much money so they can take ownership (in trying to help)," Hudson explained.

The group will also sleep outside the church in cardboard boxes to give them a better feeling of what being homeless feels like.

A yard sale is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with all proceeds going to World Vision.

"We will be going door to door asking for donations to the food pantry throughout the Bloomfield area, and we'll be at the (Bloomfield) IGA collecting canned goods from noon to 4," Hudson said.

How tough is it to go 30 hours without eating?

"The kids were very surprised they could make it without food," Hudson said of last year's event. "They didn't think they'd be able to last. They did drink juice, so they do get some sugar from that.

"If you stay busy, you really don't notice. We worked them hard last year. We did a bake sale last year, but we're not doing that this year. We're going to stay away from food."

Hudson added that two of her youth group members were able to raise $360 in donations last year.

"A lot of times it seems like we can't help in a big way, but this gives them a global outreach, what they're doing here today actually is making a difference around the world," Hudson explained.

"World Vision says that 360 million go to bed hungry every night, and 25,000 children die every day from hunger and preventable diseases. They say tomorrow's numbers depend on you."

Hudson, who grew up a member of the Bloomfield First Baptist Church, said she and her husband have between 10 and 15 junior high and high school students who are members of the youth group.

"We were at the place that the kids were willing to try something and to make a sacrifice," Hudson said of the first event a year ago.

If you would like more information about the fundraiser or to make a donation, call the church at 384-8459.

Chris is the general manager/editor for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or by e-mail at cpruett79@gmail.com .