Immaculate Conception Parish holds a monthly Food Collection. On the third weekend of each month, non-perishable foods are collected at the entrances of the church. The food is distributed to three agencies: the Somerset Community Food Bank, the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program, and the Somerville Welfare Office. Fifty to one hundred and fifty bags of food are collected on a monthly basis. Countless parishioners contribute food each month. Volunteers sort the food following the noon Mass and two additional volunteers deliver the food on the Monday following the collection.
It is easy to lose sight of the massive problems of poverty and lack of food in our world from our vantage point in the U.S., a world economic leader. Here are some eye-opening facts on world hunger:
– An estimated 1.2 billion people struggle to live on less than a dollar a day–one of every six people in the world.
– Almost 50% of the world’s population lives on less than two dollars a day.
– Each year, over 10 million children in developing countries die before the age of five.
– Someone dies of hunger every 3.6 seconds.
While we may not have the power to eliminate world hunger, we always have the power to alleviate suffering that is closest to us – perhaps by simply filling a grocery bag with food and bringing it to church. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead