Week of Solidarity
Over 1 billion people live on $2.50 per day or less, including 280 million people in extreme poverty who live on less than $1.25 per day.
Between 720 and 811 million people in the world faced hunger in 2020.
Nearly 1 in 3 people in the world (2.37 billion) did not have access to adequate food in 2020 – an increase of almost 320 million people in just one year.
In Ohio, 1,547,110 people are facing hunger, and of that number 448,600 are children. 1 in 6 children face hunger in Ohio.
Have you completed the Week of Solidarity? Let us know what it was like. Fill out the Reflection Form here.
Hunger– \ˈhəŋ-gər\
1a: a craving or urgent need for food or a specific nutrient b: an uneasy sensation occasioned by the lack of food c: a weakened condition brought about by prolonged lack of food
2: a strong desire.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the number of people in the world affected by hunger increased in 2020 under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. After remaining virtually unchanged from 2014 to 2019, the prevalence of undernourishment climbed to around 9.9 percent in 2020, from 8.4 percent a year earlier.
In terms of population, taking into consideration statistical uncertainty, an estimated 720 and 811 million people in the world faced hunger in 2020. Furthermore, 118 million more people were facing hunger in 2020 than in 2019 – or as many as 161 million, considering the upper bound of the range.
The American diet is vastly different than much of the world. An estimated 1 billion people live on $2.50 a day or less. As an act of solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the globe, we want to encourage you to eat as they would eat for one week.
Many people have asked, “What am I supposed to do? What should I buy? What should I eat? Give me details!”
Relax. Let me let you in on a little secret: you have options.
This is part of what we need to reflect upon together during this week of solidarity. Most of us in this congregation live in a world of options. Granted, for some of us our options are more limited than others. But most of us don’t spend a great deal of energy worrying about where the next meal is coming from or what we will have to eat.
Moments before I copied these instructions from our parent church, I finished breakfast at a local restaurant with my family. I dropped down the credit card and really didn’t worry much beyond that... certainly not what I was going to eat for dinner! My freezer has food in it. I have food at the house. I ate out because it was convenient. It was easy. I didn’t need to think much beyond the moment.
Part of the experience of the week of solidarity is the experience of what is called “food insecurity.” When you are poor, not only do you lack food, but you must expend a lot of time and energy figuring out what to do about that condition. Whereas most of us don’t have to give a lot of thought to what we will eat beyond “What sounds good to me?” the poor do.
So these feelings you are having—“What do I do this week? What do I eat? What if I’m really hungry when I’m at work or have an important meeting?”—these are the questions the poor deal with day in and day out. What would it be like to live your life with this same kind of constant worry?
With that said, we want to provide you with enough structure that you can make this week meaningful. And yet, quite honestly, part of the experience is the wrestling with those questions.
~Joe (adapted from Paul Risler’s notes)
You’re invited to take a Week of Solidarity where you will commit to eat for less than $2.50 a day, in solidarity with the over 1 billion people who do this every day. Pick a week and then sign up a week before you hope to begin.
Sign up below.
In 1 week from today, it will begin. Use this week to prepare: consider the food you eat, the money you spend, and how you will live differently next week.
When your week begins, you will eat on only $2.50 a day. Each day, we will send you an automated email to help guide you through the process.
When you’re done, let us know how it went.
Children, the elderly, and those with special dietary needs (e.g., diabetics, pregnant women) should not participate in the nutritional part of the challenge or should check with their doctor. Also, if you struggle or have struggled with an eating disorder, be wise; this may not be for you as well. But everyone can participate at some level. Maybe you can drink only water, or cut out all sweets. Be creative. But be safe.
I have no clue. Actually, the answer depends on how much you weigh, your age, your activity... any number of factors.
For most of us, an easy way to think about this is, “how would I eat living on $2 a day per person?” (Remember, adults only! Kids get a pass.) How this week plays out in your life might look different from how it works for other people. The goal is not to be legalistic but to identify with the poor and hungry. To sacrifice. And yes, to experience some frustration. You should feel hungry during the week.
Here is a piece of advice: You will find the week of solidarity easier if you actually do it in solidarity with other people. What would happen if you and some people made a meal together? One makes soup, one makes bread, another rice and beans for the following night? Might our meals be a bit more varied and the feeling of doing this alone be a bit less intense if we were not figuring this out alone?
Plain oatmeal or Cream of Wheat
Eggs
A tortilla, rice, and beans
Bread
Rice with bits of fish or chicken and a vegetable
Potatoes
Vegetables
Simple soups
You also might choose to drink only water for that week... preferably at room temperature.
Portion sizes are much smaller than a typical American meal. One cup or eight ounces is a generous portion. Meat is a luxury. For example, the average African consumes about ¾ ounce per day -- the size of a small chicken nugget. Fresh fruit is rare, available only if locally grown and in season. While these meals seem meager by American standards, they actually represent diets in the broad middle of the world’s population. Approximately 1 billion people live on even less—only $1 per day.
**Please use discernment in determining a portion size that will allow you to function in a safe manner and also experience what life is like for the other half of the world. Those with medical conditions should honor your physician's medical recommendations. Contact your doctor if unsure about participation in the challenge. This diet is not for people under 18.
