PRESS RELEASE
August 2, 2005

8/2/05 - 25-Squared Challenge

Everyone needs a challenge. 25 years ago the Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600) took on the challenge of feeding the hungry in response to Christ’s call on our lives. It began with the simple idea of saving some of the abundance of produce that is left in fields and orchards after the harvest. That food is then used to feed America’s hungry people. During the past 25 years the Society of St. Andrew has saved 482 million pounds of perfectly good, fresh produce that would have been plowed under or dumped into landfills. All that food provided 1.4 billion servings of food for hungry children and adults at a cost of about 1¢ per serving!

Today, there are 36 million Americans who live with chronic hunger. The Society of St. Andrew continues to face the challenge. This fall, as this national non-profit hunger-relief ministry concludes its observance of its first 25 years, it is urging churches to take its 25² Challenge.

The 25² Challenge is to provide the equivalent of one year’s supply of fruits and vegetables for 25 hungry Americans. Since the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) can provide enough fresh produce to meet the minimum requirements for one person for an entire year for just $25, the total amount a church is challenged to raise is “$25 squared” or $625.

Here’s how easy it is to do: Between October 23 and Thanksgiving simply enlist 25 individuals, Sunday school classes, women’s, men’s, children, and youth groups to take up the 25² CHALLENGE. If each participating group or individual donates just $5 for each of the five weeks, you’ve met the challenge!

The Society of St. Andrew ministry is simple and cost-effective. Fruits and vegetables left behind after harvest are salvaged to provide essential nutrition for those who cannot afford sufficient food. Food banks, church pantries and other feeding agencies are supplied with salvaged, nutritious produce. The result is that waste is reduced and the hungry are fed through this ministry for about 1¢ per serving. That means that for just $25 SoSA can provide to feeding agencies the equivalent servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for one person for a whole year.

Materials for the 25² Challenge are free from the Society of St. Andrew: banks for each participating classroom, group, family or individual; a church bulletin insert master. On November 20, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, all donations can be collected for sending to SoSA and thanks given for the food that will be saved and delivered to hungry Americans because of the generous donation. Special recognition will be sent to each church that meets the challenge.

For more information and to obtain free materials for the 25² Challenge contact Susan Allen at the Society of St. Andrew: 800-333-4597; email church@endhunger.org; online at www.endhunger.org.
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