Participants in the 2019 Fast for Social Action pose for a group photo at St. John Neumann Church in Merrimack.

MERRIMACK – It’s happening again! T-shirt colors have been picked out, themes and songs chosen, food drives are being set up and sign-ups have begun.

This year, local youth will celebrate the 24th anniversary of the Fast for Social Action at St. John Neumann Church in Merrimack.

On the weekend of June 25-26, teens and adults from local communities will take part in a 30-hour fast to raise awareness and funds to help local nonprofit agencies whose mission is to help the less fortunate in the area.

Over the last 23 years, more than 1,742 participants have raised over $424,780 to aid the various agencies. In addition, more than 93,684 pounds of food has been collected for the parish’s food pantry.

The Fast starts after lunch on June 25, and for the next 30 hours, the participants will consume only water and juice. That evening, about 25 teens from Greater Nashua and more than a dozen adults will spend the next 24 hours in the St. John Neumann Church hall.

Friday evening will consist of games and activities to break the ice. In addition, guest speakers from the agencies who will benefit from the fast will educate the teens on who their agencies benefit and how the funds raised through the fast will help. The night will end with a prayer service, and then the teens’ bed-down in the hall under the watchful eyes of the adult chaperones.

Saturday will bring more games, activities and guest speakers, along with trips to local supermarkets to buy food for the parish’s food pantry. The weekend will end with an evening Mass, which will be followed by the “Break-Fast” potluck dinner.

The St. John Neumann Parish community voted on this year’s five recipient agencies. The agencies that will benefit from this year’s fast are:

1: Community Action for Safe Teens

2: Girls At Work Inc.

3: NH Children of Fallen Patriots

4: St. Gianna’s Place

5: SJN Day Away Program

There are various ways the local community can help, including sponsoring fasters, donating to local food drives, helping out with chaperoning, driving teens to local supermarkets and, of course, actually doing the fast.

To donate, participate or for more information, call 603-880-4689, ext. 111, email youth@sjnnh.org or visit sjnnh.org/Fast.

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