ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A community leader in Rochester is calling for fasting and prayer in response to Rochester's wave of violence. It comes from the head of United & Healing Through Hope of Monroe County.

"Sometimes we have to give up something to make progress on something else, and that's fasting and praying," said Clay Harris, the group's founder. "Maybe give up a meal or two a day throughout the summer. We're calling it the summer fast."

"The fasting and praying aspect of it is to show people they have to sacrifice," Harris added. "If they want to come out of this as a community, as a nation, we have to sacrifice too. And to show these would-be criminals, or criminal, there's a better way."

Harris and his group are holding Stop the Violence mission marches in Rochester's suburbs this month. 

The first one will bring marchers from Brighton and Henrietta to the main campus of MCC next Thursday, July 15. People will gather at Jefferson Road and Westfall Road and march to MCC.

Afterward, shuttles will bring marchers back to where they started.