Seventeen-year-old Faith Davies has been baking cup cakes and making cards as she participates in the nationwide 40 Hour Challenge.
The year 12 Ashburton College student has chosen 40 acts of kindness as her way of contributing. It has seen her bake for Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade members, Hato Hone St John Ambulance crew, members of her dad’s workplace at Cory Electrical as they have been collecting sponsorship, elderly folks and neighbours.
She has also been cooking meals for elderly, and making cards with inspiring messages for others to add some brightness to their day.
‘‘People have been quite thankful to receive the baking and are surprised that I am donating it to them,’’ Faith said.
In 2023, World Vision’s 40 Hour Famine was renamed the 40 Hour Challenge to reflect the wide range of causes the campaign fundraised for and the scope of unique challenges participants take on.
Faith is a cadet at Hato Hone St John and undertakes volunteering as part of her involvement there. This inspired her to undertake the 40 acts of kindness.
Faith is a member of the community service committee at Ashburton College and said fellow members were also doing the challenge with creative ideas such as reading 40 books or visiting 40 beaches.
So far she has raised more than $273 through sponsorship with donations closing on September 30.
Historically, the annual 40 Hour Famine is New Zealand’s largest youth fundraiser. The first event in 1975 had 10,000 participants and raised $265,000. Ever since it has continued to grow, raising more than $2.5 million through 118,000 participants.
