Communities from Diocese of Salford help CAFOD this Harvest
Thursday 26th September 2019The Catholic development charity CAFOD is appealing to schools, parishes and individuals in the Diocese of Salford to join their Harvest appeal and help support families across the world this autumn.
This year, CAFOD’s Harvest appeal, which culminates with the Family Fast Day on 4 October, is supporting communities around the world to access water and grow climate change-resistant crops.
The Family Fast Day which has been an annual event since the charity’s conception in 1960, invites people to have a simple meal, like a bowl of soup, and donate the money saved to charity – and last year raised over £1 million.
CAFOD’s Director, Christine Allen, said: “Harvest is typically a time of abundance and during this season we should remember especially those communities around the world who are living in poverty, affected by conflicts, natural disasters and climate change.
“CAFOD’s Family Fast Day at this time brings a real sense of community and reflection during the harvest period, and we are so grateful that every year more communities across the country are involved and think of others.”
CAFOD is working with communities around the world to give them the tools to lift themselves out of poverty.
This approach has already borne results in places like rural Uganda. With many communities having been devastated by drought, children would trek miles for water, risking their safety and hampering their chance to get an education.
Donations from parishioners across England and Wales have helped to install solar-powered water pumps in rural villages.
Now everyone can collect water quickly and safely and focus on cultivating their crops, which will help create a sustainable source of income for the whole community.
Christine Allen continued: “The generosity shown by communities in the Diocese of Salford means that we can continue to help communities around the world to flourish.
“I’ve seen for myself the impact that CAFOD’s support has on the lives of so many people. For them, it’s not only the practical help that makes a difference, but the tangible sense that people thousands of miles away care about them.
“We hope that this year, the message of the Harvest appeal will spread even wider, so we can make sure that no community or family is beyond our reach.”
Donate to the Harvest Appeal on CAFOD’s website