RACINE - Most people have never known true hunger, which makes it hard to comprehend some haven't enjoyed a meal in days. This weekend, a group of young people from Racine will fast to try to understand what hunger means.

They will join about a half million other young people around the country in the fight against global hunger through World Vision's 30 Hour Famine. The World Vision 30 Hour Famine raises awareness and funds to fight hunger globally.

World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty.

Members of the Racine Catholic Youth Group and some of their friends will fast - starting at noon today and will continue through 6 p.m. Saturday, said organizer Sue Gehrig.

Gehrig also is the directing youth minister at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Groups organized she organized started participating in the event in the early 1990s.

Things have come full circle for some of the group's members, Gehrig said.

"We started in the early '90s, and some of the young adult leaders now are kids who started with me. Now they've come back after college."

About a dozen young people ranging in age from 16 to their early 20s will spend the night fasting and praying at St. Mary's by the Lake, 7605 Lakeshore Drive.

"The kids fast for 30 hours to get a little awareness of what it's like to go without food. We do prayer and fun activities, too. We always have someone talk to us about a project they're working on. We have Pat Penman of SC Johnson coming to speak to us. She was in Africa for a work project for SC Johnson," Gehrig said.

The groups also engage in other activities including community service projects. On Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, Gehrig's group will make bowls at Fired Up!, 320 Main St., for Empty Bowls.

The annual benefit supper, in which patrons get both soup and a unique, take-home soup bowl, raises money for hunger-fighting organizations in the community such as the HALO shelter for the homeless and the Racine County Food Bank.

"We raise funds while we fast," Gehrig said. "Our service project this year is going to lead another service project, Empty Bowls. The last couple of years we've raised thousands of dollars."

Gehrig's group hopes to raise about $4,000 this year, of which they've already raised about $1,500. Group members raise money through pledges from donors and sponsors, Gehrig said. However, if they come up short, they sort of pass the cup at their meal on Saturday evening at St. Mary's, Gehrig said.

"We break our fast after evening service on Saturday," Gehrig said. "We make homemade chicken soup. It's good for your soul and tummy after you've fasted. We invite the congregation and we'll break our fast together. A couple of years ago we were a little short. We put out a cup and the congregation made up the difference. It turned out wonderfully."