Official Website of the
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
Families: Change world with CRS Rice Bowl
Published: March 3, 2025
Click on the button above to donate online to CRS Rice Bowl for the Diocese of Little Rock. Seventy-five percent of the money raised goes to support CRS’ humanitarian and development programs outside the United States, while 25 percent remains in our local diocese and is used to assist low-income families through Catholic Charities of Arkansas.
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"At this very moment, millions of our most vulnerable sisters and brothers are facing life-threatening levels of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. At the root of this crisis is a perfect storm of poverty, climate change, conflict and inequality. There is no one solution to breaking the cycle of hunger for every community around the world, but we can do our part through CRS Rice Bowl by answering Jesus’ invitation us to share bread for life with our sisters and brothers during Lent, so all may live with dignity." — CRS Rice Bowl
Giving alms through CRS Rice Bowl can make a global difference for millions of our sisters and brothers experiencing the greatest need. Plus, it is a great way for families to experience the fruits of Lent together. This Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Lenten project encourages participants to perform a simple sacrifice by substituting a low-cost meatless meal for more expensive dining once a week, and put the money saved in the cardboard "rice bowl."
If you didn't get a rice bowl at church or school, you can download the materials to make one for free. You can also donate online. Use the Lenten calendar each day to practice the Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Each year, CRS Rice Bowl highlights families from countries that benefit from this project. This year, families in Nigeria, Guatemala and Bangladesh are featured. Through their stories, rice bowl participants learn how they overcome factors that lead to hunger, including flooding and drought.
Since its inception in 1975, more than $350 million has been given through CRS Rice Bowl to support programs that prevent hunger and poverty worldwide.
“For half a century, CRS Rice Bowl has been a pillar of our work,” said Sean Callahan, CRS president and CEO. “We are more committed than ever to our work dedicated to ending global hunger and poverty. I have seen the wonderous work that CRS can accomplish because of the strength and generosity of our supporters. Through CRS Rice Bowl, they have lifted up millions over the past 50 years, and I know they will be by our side for another 50 as we tackle global food security together.”
In 2024, nearly 12,000 Catholic parishes and schools across the United States participated in CRS Rice Bowl. In the Diocese of Little Rock, $24,054.18 was collected through the program.
Seventy-five percent of the money raised goes to support CRS’ humanitarian and development programs outside the United States, while 25 percent remains in the local diocese from which the donation came. The 25 percent that remained in Arkansas was $6,013.55, which was used to assist low-income families through Catholic Charities of Arkansas.
In addition to dropping money in rice bowls, participants can take advantage of the program's prayer resources, the daily calendar, virtual prayer night, weekly stories of hope that introduce families from around the world and recipes from various countries for meatless meals that can be enjoyed on Fridays during Lent. These materials are designed for families, parishes, educators and dioceses in English and Spanish. For more information, visit CRS Rice Bowl or contact Megan Moore at (501) 664-0340, ext. 379.
