That’s a Wrap: CWS Ration Challenge 2021


July 6, 2021

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After all the planning, the fundraising, the rationing, and the rice (so much rice), finishing the Ration Challenge each year always brings an overwhelming sense of achievement, but also humility and sadness at the realization that many refugees experience eating rations for many, many years and for them there is no end in sight.

Our team here at Church World Service couldn’t be prouder of how our supporters rallied this year, with more than 8,000 people across the United States signing up to take the Ration Challenge and show refugees that we really are all in this together.

For one week you ate refugee rations, you shared your stories, you came together, raised money, and you stood in solidarity with those who need it most.

How much did we raise for refugees?

We’re currently sitting at a total of $346,267 raised although this number will continue to go up as late donations continue to come in (individual donation pages will stay open until December, or general donations can still be made here).

That’s $346,267 that will bring emergency food, healthcare and life-saving support to those who need it most.

An update on ration pack distribution from our partner in Jordan, DSPR

Here are some images we received from our partner in Jordan, DSPR, of a food distribution event on June 8, 2021. One thousand ration packs have already been distributed in Jordan – 150 of which were distributed at Talbieh Refugee camp.

Each pack feeds a family of six, meaning 6,000 people now have access to food because of funds raised by the Ration Challenge.

A food distribution event in Jordan in June 2021.  Photos courtesy Act for Peace.

Messages from this year’s Ration Challengers

Each year we go on this journey together, and it brings us so much joy to hear your messages of gratitude and reflection from your experience. As we get busy planning for next year’s Ration Challenge, we wanted to leave you with a few thoughts from this year’s Ration Challengers.

“Doing the Ration Challenge for a week made me feel more connected to the refugees I know and the refugees I do not know. It has also given me a way to talk with some of the refugees I know about what their experiences were in refugee camps and more about their journeys,”
– Maria Tjeltveit

“The first time I did it was hard but I found it more difficult this year because my 2 daughters and husband did the Challenge with me. I found that I was hungrier this time around- and it occurred to me that I was sometimes eating a smaller portion of food than I really needed because I wanted to be sure that my children got enough. My heart goes out to the mothers and fathers across the world who regularly go hungry to ensure their babies get enough to eat,”
– Sarah Donovan

“At one point I said, pretty upset, “I just want normal food again!” I have been thinking about this ever since I said it. Then it hit me, this is the whole point of this challenge: to help us realize, even if just for a short time, that there are people in this world that would LOVE to go back to their normal. In a few days, I was back to my normal, but there are people out there that haven’t had normal in years,”
– Joshua Erickson

“This was probably the toughest week of eating that I’ve ever experienced and I’m glad I did it because I was able to educate a few other people about the plight of the Syrian refugees. I developed a great respect for the tenacity of these people as well as sympathy. I truly wish I was able to do more to help them,”
– Josh Brown

“This was a far more humbling experience than I had anticipated. This challenge showed me how much I value being able to make choices for myself. It highlighted a small portion of what choices are taken from refugees in that they aren’t even really able to choose what to eat each day. They are at the mercy of the international community to help them. It was also far more difficult to focus and I had very little energy to do much more than sleep and go on an occasional walk, so my heart goes out to those who must take care of a household, family, or a physical job on such small amounts of food,”
– Dana Wolf

See you next year everyone!