30 Hour Famine

A: Worldwide, 925 million people are hungry. And every day, an estimated 7,000 children under age 5 die due to hunger-related causes. That’s one child every 13 seconds.

The Famine gives your group a chance to do something about this unacceptable tragedy — to stand together and serve the hungry in Jesus’ name.

Your group can give real and lasting hope to families living in poverty by doing the Famine. And in the process, you’ll draw closer to God and each other.

A: The money you raise has an incredible impact — helping World Vision fight hunger and poverty around the world. World Vision is a leading Christian ministry serving people in nearly 100 countries. You can designate your Famine funds to help hungry children in an area of your choice, or have World Vision use them to fight hunger wherever needed most.

A: Every $30 you raise can help feed and care for a child for a month. World Vision puts the funds you raise to work by bringing emergency food aid to disaster zones and equipping families with the tools they need to overcome hunger in their communities.

With your help, we’re partnering with the poor and empowering them to change the direction of their lives. What does this change look like? Parents enabled to put nutritious food on the table. Communities gaining access to clean water. Kids going to school. Families getting on their feet — and standing strong.

Since the Famine started in 1992, the total number of kids under age 5 who die each day — most of them from preventable causes like hunger, poverty, and disease — has fallen from 40,000 to just over 20,000. That’s thanks to the hard work of a lot of people, including groups like yours who do the Famine.

A: World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. Visit worldvision.org to learn more.

A: Through the Famine, students learn about real-world issues of poverty and injustice, and they get the chance to make a real difference for hungry children. And their own lives are transformed as they experience hunger firsthand — going without food so others don’t have to. During the Famine, students grow closer to God and each other.

A: Yes! You can support a student or give a general donation to the 30 Hour Famine!

A: There’s no minimum amount required to participate in the Famine. Every dollar your students raise can help feed and care for a hungry child for another day. 
The important thing is to get your group excited about changing lives by raising funds to beat hunger.

Have them set individual and group fundraising goals and encourage them to beat those goals. If a student raises just $360 (for example, 12 donations of $30 each), they’ll be helping feed and care for a child for an entire year — and they’ll be eligible to apply for the Famine Study Tour.

A: All 30 Hour Famine materials were created for the exclusive purpose of helping your group raise funds for World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. Use of these materials for any other purpose without World Vision’s express written consent is prohibited — including sending all or part of the Famine funds you raise to another organization or using the funds for other mission programs.

A: We’ve got a lot of fundraising ideas to jump-start your creativity!

Start by setting a fundraising goal. After you’ve given your group the lowdown on hunger, have them think about how many kids they’d like to help. Remind them that every $30 they raise can help feed and care for a child for a month — and that $360 can feed a child for an entire year.

Once you’ve set your goal, go all out! You can fundraise online, hold group fundraisers, invite local businesses to match donations, and more. Whatever you decide to do, we’re here to help with tools to promote your Famine and helpful fundraising tips.

A: For some students, fasting is the spark to their hunger-fighting passion. If this happens in your group, send what you’ve already raised so those funds get to work right away. Then give students an extension of one week to keep fundraising, and encourage them to do it online.

A: You sure can. Find other local Famine groups, then connect with leaders to share ideas and maybe even do a joint Famine or start a friendly fundraising competition!

A: In the Bible, people fasted for a variety of reasons. Some did it as an act of worship (Acts 13:2), some to get right with God (Nehemiah 9:1). Jesus fasted in preparation for His public ministry (Matthew 4:2).

Whatever the goal, fasting helps people break free from the clutter of our world and focus on what matters to God. Fasting as a part of the 30 Hour Famine also helps students identify with the hungry children they’re helping — and learn about hunger in a way they’ll never forget.

Be sure to check out our fasting tips, plus creative fasting alternatives.

A: Most people can safely go without food for 30 hours, but there are a few people who shouldn’t try it — including kids under 12, the elderly, pregnant or nursing women, and people with certain medical conditions.

If you or a parent have any concerns about fasting, be sure to check with a doctor first. If anyone in your group is unable to participate in a food fast, we’ve come up with some good alternatives.

A: Fasting is a recognized part of the 30 Hour Famine, but it’s not required. If for any reason (medical or otherwise) someone can’t participate in a 30-hour food fast, there are alternatives — like skipping one meal or doing a “techno-fast.” See more fasting alternatives.

A: When you sign up to do the Famine, we’ll provide all the guidance and materials you need! You’ll receive a free Famine Welcome Kit (a $50 value) that includes a leader’s guide, fundraising packets for each student, educational videos, and more.

Plus, our team is always here for you! Whenever you need ideas, want more resources, or have questions, you can email us at 30hfsupport@worldvision.org or call 1.800.7.FAMINE (1.800.732.6463).

A: The short answer? LOTS! No way will your group have time to get bored! We’ve got you 100% covered with loads of awesome ideas to fill your Famine weekend from start to finish.

One of the most popular options is TRIBE, the educational, interactive (and FUN!) survival challenge that will have your students racing to beat hunger and poverty. Another great idea is doing a service project to meet needs in your own backyard.

For more options, check out our list of Famine activities. But don’t limit yourself — get your students involved in the planning, and let your own creativity run wild.

A: Once your group has registered to support a specific area, your selection can’t be changed. We track your group’s pledged support through a unique code generated by the registration process, which makes some regional selections available or unavailable to other groups based on the total commitments we’ve already received.

A: Just as you can’t change from one designated area to another, once you’ve registered, we can’t change your selection to “where most needed.” We track your group’s pledged support through a unique code generated by the registration process, which makes some regions available or unavailable to other groups based on the total commitments we’ve already received. This means that if you change your mind later, the area you originally chose might not get enough support. Pray about your decision, and then look forward to hearing about how your commitment is changing lives!

A: We want to make sure your funds go to the right place. About three weeks before your event, we create your Donation Toolkit, which makes it easy for you to send in your Famine funds. The special code on your Donation Toolkit ensures that your funds go to your designated country. Once this kit is on its way to you, we can’t change your code and still ensure that your funds will go where you want them.

A: They could, depending on which area your group selects. Take a look at the information provided for each country. That should let you know if there’s a match available, and if so, how much the match multiplies your giving. Stay tuned — more details will be available soon.

A: That’s awesome! We’ll work with you so that your Famine funds can help support what your church or group is already faithfully doing. Email us at 30hfsupport@worldvision.org with your name, account number (if you know it), your church name and address, and what community or project your congregation is already supporting.

A: Undesignated funds help provide food and care for children in areas where World Vision works around the world. Besides funding food- and nutrition-based programs, they can help communities become more self-sustainable by providing access to clean water, basic healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. We also use these funds to match U.S. government grants for food and care, or to deliver goods donated by corporations — both of which multiply the impact of your group’s gifts! A portion of all undesignated funds will be used in our work to help children and families in poverty here in the U.S.

A: Possibly. Some communities may be closed to visitors because of security or other concerns. Other areas may be more open. Be aware that circumstances can change at any time due to situations like disasters or political unrest.

In addition, World Vision works with tens of thousands of donors and churches around the world, many of whom would also like to travel to see their funds in action. Logistically, it’s simply not possible to take everyone. (And if we tried, the cost and time would mean that less help would go to those in need.)

However, if you’re interested in traveling to an area where you’ve designated funds, please do contact us AFTER you’ve done the Famine and sent in your funds. Email 30hfsupport@worldvision.org or call us at 1.800.7.FAMINE (1.800.732.6463).

A: That’s a great question with two good answers. First, World Vision has been awarded a number of U.S. government grants in many of these areas, so your dollars have a much greater impact there. In a specific country, for example, every dollar World Vision raises could be matched by five dollars of agricultural support from the U.S. government.

Second, many of the regions you can choose have well-established projects with a good communication stream — which allows us to share in greater detail about how your funds are making a difference.

A: Yes! After the national Famine dates, we’ll begin collecting reports and get information to you as soon as we can. Please keep in mind that communication from the field is not always rapid, so it may be early to mid-summer before we are able to publish a full report. Note that you will get a report only if you designate your funds.

A: World Vision staff will use your Famine funds for whatever is needed most within the communities we serve. These critical projects are usually in the areas of food and agriculture, clean water, education, basic healthcare, and economic opportunities — all of which help communities to become more self-sufficient. Through decades of experience, we’ve learned that the best way to change children’s lives is to support their community holistically by working in a variety of key areas like these.

A: Designating your funds is a great way to rally your church around a specific part of the world. It can also create a greater connection to those you’re helping. Take the time leading up to your Famine to learn about the region you choose. Develop a heart for that place and pray for its people!

If your church already supports sponsored children or projects in that area, take this chance to deepen your impact. After the national Famine dates, we’ll provide you with a report about how your funds are helping children and families in the region you selected.

A: To designate your funds, you choose a region from the list we offer, and we’ll use your funds to help children and families there. If you don’t designate your funds, we’ll use them where they’re needed most to help feed and care for children around the world.

A: We love questions! Email us at 30hfsupport@worldvision.org or call 1.800.7.FAMINE (1.800.732.6463).