For a couple of years now, during the Lenten season, Marywood University has taken on the Rice Bowl Project.  All of the money that Marywood students and faculty raise for this project goes to the Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl (CRS).

CRS is an international organization that helps more than 140 countries in international aid and international development.

According to Sister John Michele Southwick, I.H.M., CRS helps all poor, not just those who are Catholics.

“CRS helps poor people in countries to develop their own ways.  For example, they would help people without access to water to build their own irrigation systems, or help them find ways to grow food through better processes than they might have.”

The Rice Bowls were dispersed throughout campus starting on Ash Wednesday.  Places such as the eateries on campus, the cashier’s office, the registrar’s office, and many different offices have taken them.

Sophomores Kelsey Savka and Amanda Bielat are students involved with the Rice Bowl project through the Hunger Group. The Hunger Group is part of the Maxis Gillet service scholarship that they both are involved in. 

According to Southwick, the Rice Bowls were collected and emptied during the weekend of Palm Sunday.  All of the money collected was sent to CRS to be used for the development projects or the food projects they are currently working on.

About 85 percent of the money goes internationally and 15 percent of the money is used for projects in the United States.

“Last year we raised well over $1,100 and we hope that this year it will be even more than that,” Southwick said.

Savka believes the project as a whole is wonderful.

“It supplies money for immunizations, food, health examinations, and just different things that can help out a lot of people,” she said.

For students wanting to help out with the project next year, Bielat recommends it.  “It’s really important and it really helps a lot of people and I would definitely try and get students to get involved.”