Thursday, September 29, 2011

Walkers/runners to feed 5,000 families for a month

More than 800 walkers and runners participated in Food For The Poor’s sixth annual "5K Walk/Run For Hunger" at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Fla. on Saturday, Sept. 24. They each did their part to raise enough money to feed 5,000 starving children and their families for one month in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor’s Executive Director, and Kristy Villa, host of “The Balancing Act” on Lifetime Television, were the masters of ceremony for the event. Together they presented awards to the top male and female age group finishers for the 5K run in each of the following brackets: 14 & under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69 and 70+.

Billy The Marlin cheered as Harrie Olsthoorn, who led from the start, finished with the best time of 17:51.9. Billy also gave high-fives as participants crossed the finish line. Volunteers from Lynn University’s “Students For The Poor” club honed their artistic talents by offering their face painting skills in front of a 12 foot by 12 foot replica of a Food For The Poor home.

Prizes for fundraising through Dec. 1, 2011 will be awarded to individuals in each bracket:
-$5,000 and above – Fundraisers will receive their choice of an Apple iPad or 32’ flat screen TV.
-$2,500 and above – Fundraisers will receive their choice of a Wii Fit or Kindle
-$1,000 and above – Fundraisers will receive their choice of a portable DVD player or digital camera.

If you missed this event, there is still time to lace-up your sneakers and register to participate in Food For The Poor’s “5K Walk/Run For Hunger” at Tropical Park on Nov. 19 in Miami, Fla.

Deerfield Beach 5K Walk/Run sponsors included: O2Media, Lifetime TV, The Balancing Act, Southern Women’s Show, TigerDirect.com, Bush’s 620-SUBS, Wells Fargo, Whole Foods Market, HUMANA, Lynn University, and Closets Etc., llc.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Thousands of hands to pack one million meals for Haiti

A taste of the tropics is taking root in the nation’s heartland. Wisconsin, famous for its cheese and its sports teams, soon will celebrate all things Haitian. Haiti’s food, artistry and music are the supporting cast in Milwaukee’s grand production of a four-day food packing event with Food For The Poor and Worldwide Hunger Relief, Inc.

Thousands of volunteers are expected to fill the Wisconsin Products Pavilion at the State Fair Park, to pack more than one million meals, which will be shipped to Haiti to feed thousands of the Caribbean nation’s children. At the same time, the volunteers will raise funds to build a village in Port-au-Prince.

“To help Haiti become self-sustaining, we have to get the people out of the tent cities and into sturdy housing. Thousands have lost family members along with their worldly possessions, and are relying heavily on the kindness of strangers nearly two years after the 2010 earthquake,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “We are moved by the tremendous generosity the people of Milwaukee are displaying to help this organization feed the most vulnerable in Haiti. Thank you.”

Food For The Poor began its work in Haiti in 1986. In addition to the organization’s feeding center, tractor trailer-loads of food (such as rice, beans, flour, powdered milk and oil) are distributed to a variety of organizations throughout the country. Schools, orphanages and churches depend on these items to carry out feeding programs and for distribution to local families.

Each participant in the food packing event will pay a $20 fee, which will be used to purchase the dehydrated foods for the one million meals. The meals will provide nutritious food without the fear of spoiling. The risk of waterborne illnesses is eliminated because boiling water is needed to rehydrate the meals.

Worldwide Hunger Relief, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that depends on its volunteers. The ingredients, packaging equipment, and packaging materials are stored in a warehouse in Waukesha, which is owned by the organization’s founder and president, Karl Ralian.

The organization also provides training to groups that will be conducting food packing, trucking services to deliver the ingredients, and trucking services to pick up the meal kits for distribution.

“We at Worldwide Hunger Relief, Inc. provide the opportunity for people to pack food for malnourished and starving children wherever there is a need. While our volunteers work to feed hungry children they also feed their own spirits and reap the benefits that come from helping others,” said Karl Ralian. “In addition to providing food, we also want to provide decent housing and a safe environment for these children to grow and prosper. Building an entire village in Haiti is an amazing project that we hope will capture the minds of the good people of the Milwaukee area.”

Volunteers in the “Next Step Challenge” campaign will be encouraged to form fundraising teams for the village, and through that collaborative effort, will raise the funds needed for the construction of a new village.

EVENT INFORMATION
:

WHAT: Food Packing Event

WHEN: October 13-16, 2011

Packing Shifts:
• Thurs., 6-7:30 p.m., 7:30-9 p.m.
• Fri., 6-7:30 p.m., 7:30-9 p.m.
• Sat., 9-10:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m.-12, 12-1:30 p.m., 1:30-3 p.m., 3-4:40 p.m.
• Sun., 10:30 a.m.-12, 12-1:30 p.m., 1:30- 3 p.m.

WHERE: Wisconsin Products Pavilion at the State Fair Grounds in Milwaukee

For registration information please click on WorldwideHungerRelief.org for complete details for individual and group participation.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.foodforthepoor.org.

Contact:
Wanda Wright
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6079
wandaw@foodforthepoor.com

Jamaican Diaspora raises money to support Food For The Poor’s education initiatives

Jamaica’s Consul General Sandra Grant Griffiths presented Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor, a check to support the nonprofit’s educational initiatives in Jamaica on Thursday, Sept. 15. The donation was collected on Sunday, Aug. 7, when hundreds of Jamaican nationals and friends attended a service at the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale to celebrate the country’s 49th anniversary of independence.

“Food For The Poor reaches into every aspect of Jamaican life and maintains a commitment to aiding Jamaica’s poor,” said Mahfood as he thanked the Consulate General on behalf of all those who donated. “By investing in Jamaica’s education system we are investing in Jamaica’s future, showing children there is a life for them free of crime and violence in the classroom.”

Approximately 100 Food For The Poor employees were in attendance at the nonprofit’s Thankful Thursday Prayer Service in Coconut Creek, Fla., when the Consulate General received a standing ovation after calling on all Jamaicans in the Diaspora to continue to prepare for next year’s golden jubilee celebration of independence.

Proceeds from August’s service at the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale will also benefit educational programs at the Portsmouth Primary School Feeding Program in Portmore, Jamaica, and the Coalition of Jamaican Alumni Associations (CJAA) in South Florida.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Friday, September 9, 2011

Hope for Haiti unites Rockford residents

Are you in need of some Caribbean flair? There is still time to purchase your ticket to The Hope for Haitians Committee and Food For The Poor’s 10th annual fundraising event An Evening in the Tropics, Saturday, Sept. 10 at Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention Center. Come enjoy the melodies of a steel drummer and a heavenly slice of key lime pie as Illinois residents gather to raise money to build a village in Mazere, Haiti, and provide school sponsorships for 200 children from the Rockford Friendship Village and the Hope Friendship Village.

An Evening in the Tropics will include a cocktail reception, silent auction, and formal dinner with friends and members of the surrounding communities. Bidding on silent auction prizes such as exclusive art and collectibles from the Caribbean and Latin America, designer jewelry, vacations, golf and dining packages offer opportunities for guests to shop and donate to the cause.

For additional information regarding the An Evening in the Tropics event, including sponsorship levels and tickets, which are available at $100 per person, please call, 1-888-404-4248 or visit the website www.FoodForThePoor.org/rockford.

Master of ceremonies for this year’s event is veteran broadcast journalist Mike Robinson. Co-chairmen Tom Lorden, Pat Bachrodt and Peter Roche and members of the surrounding communities have traveled multiple times to Haiti to meet the people who directly benefit from the annual event’s proceeds.

This year, Hurricane Irene postponed the travel plans for five residents of the Rockford/Chicago-area communities to visit Haiti with the nonprofit Food For The Poor. The trip has since been rescheduled for October. Group members will survey earthquake damage in Port-au-Prince, meet children and their families who live in Shada in thatched homes built on rotting trash, learn about a women’s empowerment program where greeting cards are made using banana bark, and distribute hygiene supplies at a Cap-Haitien prison.

Event committee members include Joseph Altenhoff, Patrick Bachrodt, Rev. David Beauvais, Virginia Canavan, William Clancy, Michael Delany, Brian & Missy Hand, Frank Haney, Msgr. Robert Hoffman, Theresa Kegley, Danny Lorden, Tom & Nancy Lorden, Bob McLaughlin, Philip Nicolosi, Patti Rangel, Peter Roche, Andy Schultheis and Jerry Weber.

An Evening in the Tropics sponsors include: AAA Quality Limo, Aurora Central Catholic, Bachrodt Motors on State, Dick & Marg Bachrodt, Lou Bachrodt Auto Group, Lou Bachrodt Foundation, Barrick Switzer Long Balsley & Van Evera, Ralph J. Baudhuin Foundation, Boylan Catholic High School, William & Catherine Clancy, Comerica Bank, Mike & Donna Cristoforo, Crowe Horwath, LLP, Mike & Colleen Delany, Diamond Envelope, Tony & Jean Domino, Focus Financial Advisors Inc., Joe Geraghty, Giovanni's Resturant, Brian & Missy Hand and Family, Joe Hansberry – NAPA, Holy Family Church, Kelley Williamson Company, Thomas & Lesley Killoren, Jeffrey & Sally Krogh, Lorden Charitable Foundation, Robert and Mary Lou McLaughlin, Rebecca Newton, Nicolosi & Associates, OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Rhonda & RC Pottinger, Resource Dealer Group, Inc, Risch Family Foundation, Riverside Community Bank, Peter & Sandy Roche Family, Savant Capital Management, Fern Shore, St. James Catholic Church, St. John Neumann Church, St. Katherine Drexel, St. Thomas More, Warner Specialized Petroleum Services, and WIPFLi HEWINS.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contacts:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Tom Lorden
Event Co-Chairman
815-964-1904
tomlorden@hotmail.com

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Feeding the hungry, one step at a time

There is still time to follow through with your New Year’s resolutions. Lace-up your sneakers, and register to participate in Food For The Poor’s nationwide “5K Walk/Run For Hunger” at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Fla. on Sept. 24. The sixth annual fundraiser in Deerfield Beach, Fla. kick-starts events nationwide: Oct. 15 in Fort Mill, S.C., Nov. 12 in Birmingham, Ala., Nov. 19 in Miami, Fla., and April 7 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

“As the previous hometown of Food For The Poor, Deerfield Beach is proud to have been selected as the site for the kick-off of the national series of 5K fundraisers, which will promote healthy activities in support of the very worthy cause of fighting global hunger,” said Deerfield Beach Mayor, Peggy Noland.


Prizes for fundraising through Dec. 1, 2011 will be awarded to individuals in each bracket:

-$5,000 and above – Fundraisers will receive their choice of an Apple iPad or 32’ Flat Screen TV.
-$2,500 and above – Fundraisers will receive their choice of a Wii Fit or Kindle
-$1,000 and above – Fundraisers will receive their choice of a Portable DVD Player or Digital Camera.

Awards will be presented to the top male and female age group finishers for the 5K run in each of the following brackets: 14 & under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69 and 70+.

“Skin rashes, bloated bellies, jutting rib bones and reddish hair are signs of severe malnutrition,” said Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor’s Executive Director. “The destitute we serve in the Caribbean and Latin America are at risk to die from starvation. We are fortunate to live in the United States where we have the resources to help those in need here and the desire to help the poor outside of our country.”

To help, register to participate and invite your friends and family to support your cause. Please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk to sign up, start a team or make a donation. Take advantage of the “Participant Center” to create a personalized fundraising page, share your goal with family, friends, co-workers and contacts, while you monitor your progress.

“I am honored and excited to emcee the Food For The Poor 5K event in Deerfield Beach and Miami - my hometown,” said Kristy Villa, the co-host of The Balancing Act morning show on Lifetime TV. “I have produced segments on childhood obesity and the important family topic of ‘Healthy Weight Commitment.’ This is something that our country must be aware of and a topic that I am consistently tackling on the show and in my home.”

Pre-registration is at the discounted rate of $20 for adults, $15 for children ages 6-10, and there is no fee for children 5 years old and under. The registration cost for South Florida walkers includes a T-shirt and lunch. Special awards will be given to the individuals who raise the largest amount of donations. For more information, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk. You can also register the day of the event. Registration starts at 6 a.m., the run begins at 7 a.m. and the walk is at 9 a.m.

If you don’t live in a city where a walk is scheduled, you can still participate by registering online as a virtual walker. You can do your part to feed starving children and their families while raising awareness about Food For The Poor, one of the most efficient charities in the United States.

Deerfield Beach 5K Walk/Run sponsors include: O2Media, Lifetime TV, The Balancing Act, Southern Women’s Show, TigerDirect.com, Bush’s 620-SUBS, Wells Fargo, Whole Foods Market, HUMANA, Lynn University, and Closets Etc., llc.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Friday, September 2, 2011

Eco-friendly, waterless toilets promote good health

To replace dangerous pit latrines and provide schools and communities with access to proper sanitation, Food For The Poor has launched an initiative to install eco-friendly, waterless toilets in locations throughout St. Catherine’s parish, Jamaica.

“In our efforts to bring sustainable solutions to those we serve, we were eager to invest in a test of this environmentally friendly technology,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO. “This innovative solution will allow Food For The Poor to improve the living conditions of the poor, regardless of their proximity to water.”

After a three-month trial period, Food For The Poor will determine whether this environmentally friendly sanitation system will be included in schools and homes constructed by the nonprofit organization in Haiti and Jamaica. Initial test sites include Quarry Hill, St. John’s Road, Naseberry Grove, Kitson Town, Jobs Lane, and Macca Tree. The toilets have a low annual maintenance cost and a life span of more than 50 years. Enviro Options has tested and evaluated the Enviro Loo since 1993 to ensure the product is a safe, sustainable solution.

“There are communities throughout the island that do not have access to running water,” said Susan James, Food For The Poor’s Jamaica Project Manager. “Residents in these communities have no option other than to walk for miles in search of water – not only for drinking and cooking purposes but also to flush their toilets. For them, this waterless toilet system that functions without chemicals will positively impact their lives.”

Community residents curious about the recent installation of the waterless toilet at Patricia Mundley’s new Food For The Poor home on Jobs Lane, Spanish Town, gathered to assist contractors, James said. “The general consensus has been that this is a very good thing. For us, it’s an opportunity to address something that’s desperately needed.”

Principal Etta Holness was present when four Enviro Loos were installed in the ground at Eccleston Primary School in Macca Tree. The above-ground structure is scheduled to be constructed in the near future.

“This is great for the school community and government – it’s a worthy cause to our Jamaican education,” said Principal Holness. “We have more toilets, less congestion and [shorter] waiting period for the students, improved health conditions, and more hygienic sanitary conditions than the present pit toilets. When we have happier students, teachers and parents – this is good. Emotionally happier students will learn more, and create improved daily attendance and school registration.”

How it works: The system separates liquid and solid waste as it enters the toilet bowl. Liquid waste drains to the bottom of the container, while solid waste remains on the drying plate. Both are exposed to a continuous flow of air. As the air moves through the system it dehydrates the solid waste as it migrates down the drying plate, and causes the liquid to evaporate quickly. The negative pressure within the container prevents the escape of any odor through the toilet bowl or through the air inlet pipes. The odor is vented into the atmosphere via the wind driven extractor.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. We provide emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Tie-dying teen challenges you to vote and refresh the world

Register to vote in Pepsi’s Refresh Project, and with a click of your mouse you can empower high school students to establish Food For The Poor-related clubs. Samantha Kerker, 16, passionately believes all high school students should have the opportunity to witness poverty firsthand, and to give back to their community before they graduate.

Samantha’s idea to start “Students For The Poor” clubs in Palm Beach County was inspired by the questions her peers asked about her Food For The Poor mission trip to Nicaragua. She found the travel experience to a developing country to be so unlike her experiences in the United States.

“When I returned home from Nicaragua, I had a lot of explaining to do,” said Samantha, who tie-dyed her way to building her first Food For The Poor home for a destitute Nicaraguan family in December 2010. “I had to explain to my friends that in remote villages in developing countries, some people live in dilapidated shacks with dirt floors and have to walk for miles to find water. Their priorities are their immediate needs for survival – food, water, and shelter – not electricity to charge cell phones or to power laptop computers.”

Here’s how you can help Samantha realize her dream. Cast your vote each day, from Sept. 1-30 to support your cause on Pepsi’s Refresh Project website. Samantha’s idea is competing for votes to earn $50,000 in funding.

“The most important thing I want people to know about my idea is that we all think we know what poverty is, and we have all seen pictures of people living in poverty. But seeing and experiencing it firsthand changes lives,” Samantha said.

Every vote counts. Look for the Power Vote code on specially-marked Pepsi products. It should be under the bottle cap or printed on the inside of your multi-pack. Yellow bottle caps contain extra votes – 100, 75, 50 or 25. Enter the Power Vote code when you login and click "Activate" to support ideas that refresh the world.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Tri-county exhibit: a showcase for artists, a benefit for the poor

An art exhibition may be a delight for the eyes, but the creativity it takes to make an image come to life takes talent and passion. Food For The Poor is also passionate about what it does on behalf of the poor, and is excited about its first “Art Embracing Hope” or “Härt Exhibition" that it will host in three South Florida cities this fall.

A kaleidoscope of nearly two dozen international and local artists will delight, dazzle and inspire with their visual interpretations. Every work of art is for sale, and each piece sold will allow Food For The Poor to provide much needed help to hundreds of destitute families in the countries we serve.

Here’s how it will work: At each venue, there will be a silent auction, a raffle and an opportunity to donate. A percentage of each art piece sold also will go to the artist. Some of the drawings to be auctioned were created by the children Food For The Poor serves in Latin America.

EVENTS

Mayfair Hotel & Spa
Where: 3000 Florida Ave., Coconut Grove, FL 33133
When: Wednesday, Oct. 5
VIP Reception: Includes a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, a Habaneros Cigar rolling station, entertainment, and gift bags.
Location: Havana Room
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Tickets: $125 per person
Art Reception: Includes a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, raffle prizes and entertainment.
Location: Palm Terrace
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Tickets: $100 per person

Bienes Center for the Arts at St. Thomas Aquinas
Where: 2801 S.W. 12th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Exhibition Dates:
Oct. 10 - 31, 2011
Exhibition is open to the public.
Hours: M-F from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Art Reception:
Wednesday, Oct. 12
Includes a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, Rex -Goliath wine bar, raffle prizes and entertainment.
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Tickets: $25 per person

110 Building
Where: 110 East Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444
Exhibition Dates:
Nov. 7 - Dec. 2, 2011
Exhibition is open to the public.
Hours: M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Opening Reception, Thursday, Nov. 17
Closing Art Reception, Thursday, Dec. 1
Receptions include: a silent auction, light hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, Rex -Goliath Wine Bar,
raffle prizes and entertainment
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
Tickets: $25 per person

For more information please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/hart or email events@foodforthepoor.com.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Wanda Wright
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6079
wandaw@foodforthepoor.com

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Food For The Poor to buy rice from Haitian farmers

In a move to help Haitian farmers as well as to supply food even more efficiently to the hungry in that country, the international relief and development agency Food For The Poor will start buying rice from 2,000 farmers in the area most affected by the 2010 earthquake. The partnership will begin today and will provide a third of the rice that the charity needs for its feeding programs in Haiti.

"This initiative is going to help the rice growers increase their production and grow a better strain of rice through help we are providing," said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. "We are happy we're able to work with the farmers in this way, and we believe it will help us better meet the needs of the poor we serve."

The program will begin with Food For The Poor buying about 200 tons of rice each month, but Mahfood said he hopes that will continue to grow as the farmers have more success with their crops. "We will buy everything they produce," he said.

Food For The Poor can feed a child for $36 a year, but its ability to provide food efficiently to the most needy has been threatened by double-digit percentage increases in food prices over the past year, as well as the forecast from suppliers that rice supplies will continue to be tight. An increase in shipping costs has further complicated relief actions.

This innovative plan is only one of the charity’s programs that provide long-term solutions and self-sufficiency methods to fight destitution in developing countries. Food For The Poor has installed 48 tilapia ponds in Haiti that provide a significant source of protein, one of the most urgently needed and scarce nutrients in the country. A community can harvest about 5,000 pounds of fish every six months, ensuring a food supply as well as providing a means of commerce through selling and bartering. Five pangasius (Basa) ponds were just constructed and filled with fingerlings, and the first harvest is expected in six months.

Agricultural programs are supported through shipments of seeds, fertilizer, tools and water pumps. They help small sustenance farmers as well as helping villages set up community farms where residents can enjoy harvests of peppers, corn and other healthy vegetables. By the end of 2010, Food For The Poor had distributed more than 350,000 fruit trees. Animal husbandry projects provide individual families with their own animals to breed and consume – predominantly goats, chickens and cows.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Kathy Skipper
Food For The Poor
Director of Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6614
kathys@foodforthepoor.com