It’s that time of year again for Catholics all over the world. With Lent starting this past Wednesday, Catholics are prompted to spend the religious season reflecting upon their own lives and giving up a little something to prepare for Easter Sunday. Many people give up the classics: chocolate, television, swearing, etc. Yet, there is a bit more to the season. A big part of the Lenten season isn’t just giving up, it is giving. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has launched this year’s Rice Bowl project, formerly known as Operation Rice Bowl.

The project involves distributing small, cardboard bowl containers to parishes and the parishioners take them home or to the office and continuously give a bit at a time by simply putting their gifts into the box and returning the bowl later. Wary about where this money is headed? Don’t worry, CRS is one of the most transparent organizations around.

The funds are handled responsibly and they are used in a very interesting way. About 25 percent of a person’s gift is used to help the hungry in their own community while the other 75 percent go to CRS humanitarian efforts around the world. With about 23.5 percent of the U.S. population donating to CRS, that could add up to be quite a large collection.

One certainly doesn’t have to be Catholic to appreciate the intentions and effects of all the CRS is doing to help the hungry.

– Kevin Sullivan

Source: CRS Rice Bowl, CIA World Factbook
Photo: Catholic News Agency