The St. John Neumann Parish community came together March 9-10 to host its 16th annual Fast for Social Action, a food drive and 30-hour period of fasting that raises participants’ awareness of hunger. It also raises funds and food for local agencies helping those in need.

The theme of this year’s effort was “Dare to Change the World.” Throughout the weekend, 81 student participants and seven adults professed to stay mindful of this year’s slogan, “We as individuals and as a community can make a difference.”

During the past 15 years, the annual effort has raised $273,333 in sponsor money for local agencies, and more than 64,000 pounds of food for area food pantries and the food pantry at St. John Neumann, at 708 Milford Road in Merrimack.

Thus far, with donations still coming in, organizers report donation amounts of more than $19,128. In addition to the cash, a total of 1,922 pounds of nutritious food was collected.

Funds this year benefited the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua, Easter Seals of New Hampshire, the Crotched Mountain Foundation, Girls Inc. of New Hampshire, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and NH Healthy Kids.

The project began weeks ago when boxes were set up at sites, including the Merrimack Public Library, Merrimack Girl Scouts, Nashua Catholic Junior High School and Souhegan High School. Soon, the collection boxes were chock-full of canned vegetables, bags of rice and boxes of cereal. Containers of chicken broth and dozens of juice boxes took up space.

However, the more intense action began when participants gathered at the parish hall to launch the food drive on Friday, March 9. At 1:30 p.m., everyone began a 30-hour fast, one with juice and water as the sole exceptions.

Students in sixth grade through high school then formed teams distinguished by different colors. The Purple Jedi and the Tangerine Tigers vied with the Scintillating Rot Gatos (Red Cats) and other teams intent on purchasing the largest quantity and healthiest food with a team budget of $100 each.

The youths’ fast continued overnight and on Saturday morning everyone set out for area supermarkets. Some 100 volunteers – parents and college students – turned out to drive the teams to their destinations and back again to the parish hall. There, the foodstuffs were weighed and evaluated on their nutritional content.

Dennis Flynn and Bob Fontaine, both of Merrimack, were among the adult volunteers helping to keep track of the bounty secured by each team. They manned a computer and logged in team members’ names, the number of items collected and other data.

Flynn and Fontaine noted that the teams were instructed to shop as if purchasing a week’s worth of food for a family of four. The pair agreed that because the buyers were shopping while they were hungry, a sense of urgency prevailed. The limited budget of $100 per team, they said, was a hands-on lesson about the way in which needy families must stretch their food dollars.

Taylor Manning, 14, a freshman at Souhegan High School, participated this year for the first time. She is a member of the parish and heard positive comments about the efforts of previous years.

“It’s really a life-changing experience to know you’re doing something good for people you don’t even know,” Manning said.

Jacob Drescher, 16, a sophomore at Milford High School, agreed. He has been a part of the food drive for three years and intends to return next year.

“It offers us a good way to help those people who can’t do it for themselves,” Drescher said.

Sierra Jones, 15, of Merrimack, one of Drescher’s teammates, said the 30-hour fast from solid food was a small sacrifice to make for such a good cause.

“You always hear about starving kids in Africa but you don’t have to go that far to find someone who is hungry,” said Jones.

Mollie Kerrigan, of Nashua, youth minister for St. John Neumann, credited all the teams and the project organizers and volunteers for the success of the food drive and fast.

“Close to 100 volunteers helped the event by chaperoning, driving and making the food the teams enjoyed at the big dinner that followed the evening Mass on Saturday,” said Kerrigan, saluting all who stayed in the hall overnight to continue the fast. Music, games and fellowship were a part of the evening but cell phones were not permitted.

Elizabeth Corsetti, of Hollis, a freshman at Hollis Brookline High School, returned for her fourth year of service at the food drive. She summed up her impression of the event.

“I’m amazed at how many people come back, year after year,” Corsetti said. “There are college students who come back to help. There are adults who are willing to give up the comfort of their own homes to stay here with us overnight. It’s a wonderful thing.”

For more information on the “Fast for Social Action” stop by St. John Neumann Roman Catholic Church, 708 Milford Road, Merrimack, or call 880-0825.