Friday, May 29, 2015

Building Homes in Haiti

Alabama Man Builds His Business, Builds Homes for the Poor

Rob Owens of VTS Homes
One hundred soccer balls and 50 bicycles also were distributed to the children in the village.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (May 29, 2015)  Alabama homebuilder Rob Owens has built VTS Homes, Inc. from the ground up, and in doing so has kept his promise to provide homes for the destitute in Haiti. Owens was recently named a ‘40 Under 40’ winner by Professional Builder magazine for his accomplishments and charitable efforts through the charity Food For The Poor.

With the support of his company, located in Huntsville, and business partners David and Todd Slyman, Owens has built 18 concrete block homes in LaHatte, Haiti, providing more than 100 people with a secure place to live.

“I've seen the transformation firsthand when I visited LaHatte in June 2013, and it's real and permanently life-changing for those we are able to serve,” said Owens.

A graduate of Marquette University, Owens is married and is the father of two. He started his first company at age 22. He founded VTS Homes in 2010 during the housing downturn with virtually no capital and only one pre-sold house, but grew the company to more than $6 million in revenue in two years.

Also in 2010, Owens reached out to Food For The Poor after seeing a news story about the work the organization is doing in Haiti. That was when Owens and his partners decided that for every home VTS sold, they would make a donation to build homes in Haiti.

“LaHatte is located just north of the city of St. Marc and is in a section of the country that’s not easy to navigate. Life in Haiti can be difficult, but life in LaHatte can be especially brutal, due to the arid condition of the land,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “The gratitude of the families who went from living in mud thatched huts to a solid home with an inside bathroom and kitchenette is beyond any words I can express. Food For The Poor is extremely thankful to have donors like Rob Owens, who have decided to share the blessings of their businesses to help the truly destitute.”

The first phase of the LaHatte project also included a playground with a merry-go-round, a first for the organization and its donors. One hundred soccer balls and 50 bicycles were also purchased and distributed to the children within the village. Owens now wants to complete Phase II, which is the construction of six additional homes for families within that community.
 
“We ask that others join us in transforming the lives of those in LaHatte and other parts of Haiti,” said Owens. “We only have a short time on this earth and we believe we must make a difference in the lives of those in need.”  

If you would like to make a secure online donation toward the completion of Phase II in the village in LaHatte, Haiti, visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/vtshomes. Those wishing to make a donation by check, please make it payable to Food For The Poor and mail to 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073. Please include reference number “SC# 89122” to ensure your donation is accurately routed. All gifts are tax-deductible.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Virginia Parish Delivers Hope

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (May 28, 2015) – Today, Father Robert C. Cilinski, pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Burke, Virginia, hand-delivered a check to Food For The Poor CEO/President Robin Mahfood for the proceeds from the parish’s 2015 Operation Starfish® campaign.

Food For The Poor’s staff gave a standing ovation to thank Nativity parishioners for the sacrifices they made to change the lives of destitute families in Haiti.

“Pope Francis tells us, ‘To live charitably means not looking out for our own interests, but carrying the burdens of the weakest and poorest among us,’” said Fr. Cilinski. “Today, the parishioners of Church of the Nativity join with the staff of Food For The Poor to recommit ourselves to the weakest and poorest among us.”

“For 17 years, Church of the Nativity’s parishioners have looked beyond themselves to create lifesaving miracles for the poor,” said Mahfood, who was humbled by the generous outpouring of support from Nativity’s parishioners. Mahfood met in early May with His Holiness Pope Francis at Vatican City.

“Nativity has been a blessing to the poor,” said Mahfood. “A house, with access to water and a flush toilet, is one of the greatest gifts we can give a family. This gift will help to bring the people closer to God. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The donation will be used to continue the development of Good Shepherd Village near Grand Boulage, Haiti. This village is the 10th built by Nativity, and it is named Good Shepherd Village in memory of Fr. Richard Martin, who worked with the charity for 16 years through Operation Starfish®. Additional gifts will continue to support existing projects like the St. Anthony Health Center and the Nativity Village scholarship program.

Fr. Martin died unexpectedly last May at the age of 74.

“This year, we began a new tradition; each year on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of Fr. Martin’s passing, we will have a second collection at all our masses for Operation Starfish®,” said Fr. Cilinski. “Thus Fr. Martin and his legacy of love for the poor will be remembered in our parish at a special time each year, with prayer and a tangible expression of mercy toward the weakest and poorest among us.

“As the wicker baskets were being passed Fr. Martin spoke to us,” said Fr. Cilinski. “Remember Haiti.”

Fr. Martin’s legacy already has given new life to the first 40 families who have received keys to their new Food For The Poor homes in Good Shepherd Village. The village will be built out over the course of three years, and will combine the latest technology, construction techniques, and community development programs. The village ultimately will contain 120 houses, solar lighting, a community center, a health clinic, agriculture projects, and a kindergarten. The residents will receive life-skills training to ensure they can take advantage of all the programs offered.

Also in attendance was Father Keith O’Hare, pastor of the Bánica Mission in the Dominican Republic, from the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, Va.

Earlier this year, Church of the Nativity also used Operation Starfish® proceeds to support Food For The Poor’s Payen Fish Farming project and Honduras Fishing Boat project.

Food For The Poor’s Operation Starfish® program has five arms of aid to transform the living conditions of destitute families. These programs include food, water, housing, education, and micro-enterprise opportunities.

Those interested in starting an Operation Starfish® program at their parish, school, or organization can visit www.foodforthepoor.org/operationstarfish or call 877-654-2960 ext. 6219. Parishes nationwide also participate in Operation Starfish programs during Lent, Vacation Bible Study sessions, Christmas in July celebrations, Back to School fundraisers, and in preparation for Advent. 

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Ed Buckley Honored

Atlanta TV Station Honors Food For The Poor Donor

Ed Buckley
WXIA-TV reporter Jaye Watson presents the award to Ed Buckley. Photo: Poane Studios

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (May 18, 2015) – Edward Buckley, managing partner at The Buckley Law Firm LLC, has been given the 2015 11Alive Community Service Award by NBC Atlanta affiliate, WXIA-TV, for providing clean drinking water to the people of Haiti.

“Nobody does this by himself, and this award is dedicated to every man, woman, and child who has carried a stone, laid pipe, dug a hole, and contributed a dollar toward bringing clean drinking water to people who don’t have it. I am just very grateful for the opportunity to do that,” said Buckley, Founder and Executive Director of Water Life Hope, during his acceptance speech at the award ceremony.

Since 2000, Buckley and his supporters have partnered with Food For The Poor to drill more than 300 wells and bring clean, safe water to more than a half a million people.

After recognizing the Water Life Hope board members, Buckley offered a toast to encourage others to donate to the cause close to his heart. 

“Everybody, raise your glass of water in honor of every man, woman, and child who still does not have it, and let’s try to bring it to them,” said Buckley.

11Alive News Anchors Brenda Wood and DeMarco Morgan hosted the 40th annual 11Alive Community Service Awards dinner/show taping Thursday, April 30, 2015 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel. Emmy Award-winning reporter Jaye Watson presented the 11 Who Care Community Service Award to Buckley.

“Thank you, Ed Buckley, for lifting a tremendous burden off the shoulders of the poor in developing countries, and for blessing them with the gift of clean, lifesaving water,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor.

Buckley was named an Ambassador For The Poor by Food For The Poor in 2014.

To invest in a critically needed water project in Haiti, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/water-haiti. Click here to view the vignette about Buckley’s mission that aired on WXIA and WATL.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Mother's Day gifts

Be a Child’s Guardian Angel this Mother’s Day

More than 900 children in the program are waiting for a sponsor to give them the love, encouragement and kindness they deserve.
For $34 a month you can sponsor an orphaned or abandoned child hope through Food For The Poor's Angels Of Hope program.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 28, 2015) – Food For The Poor’s Spring 2015 Gift Catalog has been released in time to help you find the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Photographs beautifully illustrate how the gifts featured in the charity’s gift catalog are uniquely designed to improve the lives of poverty-stricken children and families that struggle to survive in developing countries.

This Mother’s Day, choose to honor Mom by pledging to sponsor an orphan in her name through Food For The Poor’s Angels Of Hope program. For $34 a month, you can serve as a guardian angel to a child in need.

Thousands of orphaned and abandoned children in Food For The Poor’s Angels Of Hope orphanages depend on loving sponsors to provide their basic needs every month. More than 900 children in the program are waiting for a sponsor to give them the love, encouragement and kindness they deserve.

“Your sponsorship will serve as a symbol of hope to your sponsored child, assuring them that they are not alone, no matter what hardships they may have encountered,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “I thank everyone who answers the call to serve as a child’s guardian angel. May God bless you for the joy and laughter your compassion will pour into the lives of these children.”

Angels Of Hope staff members travel approximately twice a month to Food For The Poor-sponsored orphanages. While in-country, they update rosters, photograph the children, deliver mail from sponsors and collect letters from the children to mail to their sponsors. They also meet with in-country staff coordinators, and visit homes who have applied to participate in the Angels Of Hope program.

The desire to alleviate poverty epitomizes the spirit of giving in Food For The Poor’s catalog. Even if you are a student, Food For The Poor’s gift catalog offers meaningful ideas for your special Mom, while remaining within your budget. For $20, you can provide a year’s worth of school supplies, or for $90, you can show Mom she raised a good “kid” by giving a goat in her honor for a family in need.

Because Food For The Poor acquires food in large quantities, you can feed a starving family for just $14.60 a month, or a hungry child for a whole year for $43.80.

Food For The Poor also remains committed to moving destitute families out of unsafe living conditions, and into new, permanent homes. A gift of $3,200 will build a single-unit home with sanitation and give children a chance for better futures.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Annual report

Food For The Poor Releases 2014 Annual Report

9.6 million pounds of canned and other life-sustaining foods were delivered to the hungry.
More than 9 million pounds of canned and other life-sustaining foods were delivered to the hungry.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 27, 2015) – Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the nation’s largest international relief and development agency, released today its 2014 Annual Report. Last year, the charity shipped 3,914 containers of essential goods, and provided more than $910 million in aid to poverty-stricken children and families that struggle to survive.

With a grateful heart, Food For The Poor thanks its donors and partners for their 33 years of support, which has transformed the lives of millions of destitute families in the Caribbean and Latin America. By delivering food to the starving, housing for those who need shelter, and providing clean drinking water to the thirsty, the impact of Food For The Poor’s lifesaving work provides hope for the future.

 “The 2014 Annual Report highlights how Food For The Poor’s generous donors have helped to transform the lives of those we serve,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “It is only through God’s grace and your goodness that we are able to distribute desperately needed aid.”

Food For The Poor is a good steward of donations, and strives to strategically use contributions the most efficient way possible. In 2014, fundraising and other administrative costs made up less than 5% of Food For The Poor’s expenses, with more than 95% of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

To watch a video that illustrates the impact donors made in 2014 visit: www.FoodForThePoor.org/impact.

Other highlights from Food For The Poor’s 2014 Annual Report:

  • More than 30.3 million pounds of rice, 12.9 million pounds of beans, 9.6 million pounds of canned and other life-sustaining foods were delivered to the hungry.
  • Fishing village initiatives, aquaculture ponds, fruit tree planting projects, animal husbandry and agricultural programs continue to provide food and income and help to create self-sustaining communities.
  • More than 100,000 housing units have been built since 1985, with 7,367 built in 2014 alone. The greatest number of homes were built in Jamaica (2,057 housing units), Honduras (1,812), Haiti (1,774), and Nicaragua (1,594).
  • Food For The Poor continues to build schools, training centers, and clinics, and to support homes for orphans and the aged. More than 430 containers of educational supplies were shipped in 2014.
  • More than 600 containers of medicines and medical supplies were shipped.
More than 900 children are waiting to receive their loving sponsor through Food For The Poor’s Angels Of Hope program. Caring donors to the organization sponsored more than 3,270 children in 134 orphanages in 2014 through the program.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Friday, April 17, 2015

We love our volunteers

Food For The Poor Celebrates Donors and Volunteers Year Round

Tim Thoman and Taylor Thoman wash the feet of children at a Food For The Poor-sponsored orphanage in Haiti, the week of March 16. Photo/ Jim Christie.
(L to R) Tim Thoman and Maria Thoman wash the feet of children at a Food For The Poor-sponsored orphanage in Haiti, the week of March 16. Photo/Jim Christie

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 17, 2015) – As National Volunteer Week concludes, Food For The Poor would like to again thank all of its dedicated volunteers and generous donors for taking action to improve the lives of destitute families.

“Each year, hundreds of donors travel with Food For The Poor to developing countries to lend a hand, while others donate time, money, and other resources to fundraise for specific causes,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “Their contributions remind us daily that each and every one of us is a part of a global village, where just one person can positively impact the lives of many others in very real and meaningful ways.”

Tim Thoman, President and Founder of Performance Services, is familiar with Food For The Poor’s mission, and has established three villages in Haiti. Most recently, through employer-matching gifts Performance Services contributed the funds to establish a fishing village and water cistern in Gros Mangle, Haiti. 

On March 19, Tim, his daughter Taylor Thoman, and a group of their friends entered the Cap-Haitien prison during a Food For The Poor mission trip to pay the fines of 15 nonviolent offenders.

“We have all heard of Third World prisons, but seeing one is another experience altogether,” said Jim Christie, a Business Development Manager at Performance Services. “There were faces pressed against the cell bars and heavy metal mesh fencing with several arms and hands sticking out of small holes in the fencing. The cell was so dense with the faces and bodies pressing against the bars that you could not see light coming through from behind the prisoners.”

Before traveling to Haiti with Food For The Poor, Taylor, a sophomore at Purdue University, helped to design and sell T-shirts to raise money to provide meals for the people of Gros Mangle, and to pay the small fines of prisoners in the Cap-Haitien barracks.

The T-shirt design of a mahi-mahi jumping over the island nation of Haiti with the message “casting hope” illustrates the notion that education is essential to eradicating poverty. The back of the bright teal T-shirt is the proverb “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

The money Performance Services raised through T-shirt sales paid the $327 fine to release a 13-year-old who broke a car window while throwing stones with friends.

The young man, who had been incarcerated for more than a month, said, “My parents are unable to come to my aid. That’s why I am so sad. But in the cell of the prison, I learned how to pray. I ask you to pray for me, my family, my friends, especially those who were in the same cell.”

In addition to the gift of presence, here are more ideas of how you can make a difference:  

  • Become a Champion For The Poor:
    Food For The Poor’s personal fundraising program encourages donors to create their own personalized web pages for causes close to their hearts. There are ten distinct categories; Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Graduations, Individual Causes, Group Causes, In Loving Memory, Faith-based, Rebuild Haiti, and Businesses Giving Back.
  • Involve Your Church, School or Community Organization:
    Students from elementary to college can find creative ways to raise funds through events on campus and within their communities.
  • Become a corporate volunteer:
    Get involved in fundraising, and travel to the countries we serve to do hands-on projects.
  • Consider Planned Giving:
    Donors can help others while making prudent and beneficial financial choices for themselves and family members.
  • Check for Employer Matching Gifts:
    Food For The Poor encourages donors to ask their employers to match charitable donations.
  • Request a Speaker:
    Food For The Poor’s Speakers’ Bureau arranges speaking engagements for churches, organizes church and school mission projects, and manages national outreach projects.

For more information about Food For The Poor’s projects, causes, and programs for donors and volunteers, visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Burn Loeffke builds homes in Jamaica

A Local Retired Major General Builds a Village in Jamaica

Aretta Dennis and Maj. Gen. Bernard Loeffke stand inside her
new home in the Peacemakers Community of Hope.
Aretta Dennis and Maj. Gen. Bernard Loeffke stand inside her new home in the Peacemakers Community of Hope, located in the town of Spring Pass in Hamstead, St.Thomas, Jamaica. Loeffke led an effort to rebuild 27 homes with sanitation through Food For The Poor.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 17, 2015) – Nearly 200 people gathered recently for the dedication of the Peacemakers Community of Hope Village in the town of Spring Pass in Hamstead,  St. Thomas, Jamaica. Thanks to the sheer determination of retired Maj. Gen. Bernard “Burn“ Loeffke and Food For The Poor, 27 families now have a redeveloped community with sturdy new homes and hygienic sanitation.

“I used to be a fisherman, but during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, I lost everything and since then I have been doing odd jobs every now and then,” said Denville Clarke, a Spring Pass resident. “I couldn’t afford to repair or buy a house, so when Food For The Poor came to help me and others in the community, I was really, really happy and thankful. Words are not even enough to thank them for what they have done for this community.”

Loeffke, who now calls South Florida home, is an impressive man with a military career that spans more than three decades. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and French, and proficient in Mandarin Chinese, Loeffke was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds in combat, as well as Silver and Bronze Stars for Valor. He also has authored several inspirational books.

But it was the inspiring story of the teen Food For The Poor donor, Rachel Wheeler, who touched the heart of this warrior for peace. Starting at age 9, Rachel fundraised to build a village and school in Haiti.

“When I heard about the young girl who built two villages, I thought surely I can build one to honor two men who personified what it means to give their lives on behalf of their fellow man. U.S. Army Sgt. Larry Morford and China’s Cpl. Lei Feng are these men. Morford saved my life in Vietnam, now I am living his,” said Loeffke. “I was very impressed with seeing the work done by Food For The Poor in putting a roof over the heads of the needy and giving them the pride of ownership.”

Loeffke dedicated the Peacemakers Community of Hope in honor of these two soldiers. Both Morford and Lei Feng died at the age of 22 – men, he says, who lived to be agents of peace in the midst of war. Loeffke says he chose Jamaica because it is the birthplace of Food For The Poor and is the homeland of the parents of another general, his dear friend Gen. Colin L. Powell, who supported the community.

“I am glad I had the opportunity to help with the project. I offer my congratulations to Chris Wallace, my friend Burn Loeffke and all the other committed people who are bringing this project to fruition,” said Gen. Colin L. Powell.

Life for more than two dozen families living within Spring Pass has not been easy. The need for safe housing and sanitation was dire. Last summer, an outbreak of the Chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne disease that causes fever and excruciating joint pain in its victims, ripped through Spring Pass. 

“The redevelopment of the Spring Pass community is truly a blessing for the 30 or so families. These families have been living for many years in makeshift shacks, and their only water source for drinking, cooking, cleaning and washing came from a single pipe located in the middle of the town. No one should have to live like that,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “Loeffke’s passion for the poor has resulted in the Peacemakers Community of Hope, a community that has restored hope to these families by providing them with safe new homes and access to running water. For that, we are truly grateful.”

Loeffke’s desire to improve the lives of the poor extends beyond the borders of Jamaica. Fundraising for Peacemakers Community of Hope villages in Central America is in the works. So far, enough funds have been raised for the construction of 10 homes in Nicaragua, and plans are under way for a village in Honduras.

“The Peacemakers Community of Hope is the first of several villages that we want to do to honor the memory of John Gardener, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson and Founder of the White House Fellows,” said Loeffke. “He authored the statement that ‘a real leader is the one who keeps hope alive,’ and that’s what we’re doing with Food For the Poor – keeping hope alive.”

Loeffke plans to share his recent experience with Food For The Poor at the 50th Anniversary of White House Fellows 2015 Leadership Conference in the Washington, D.C., October 22-24.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Geneva 5K

Screening of Girl Rising Sets Pace for Fourth Annual 5K Walk/Run in Geneva

Money from the screening of Girl Rising at The Arcada Theatre in Saint Charles, Illinois, will provide life-changing educational opportunities for 82 children in Haiti.
Money from the screening of Girl Rising at The Arcada Theatre in Saint Charles, Illinois, will provide life-changing educational opportunities for 82 children in Haiti.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 14, 2015) – Money from the screening of Girl Rising at The Arcada Theatre in Saint Charles, Illinois, will provide life-changing educational opportunities for 82 children in Haiti. The film has set the pace for the Hope For Haitians 5K Walk/Run For Education in Geneva, Illinois, which will fund yearly scholarships for children in Hope Friendship Village in Chastenoye, in Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

Girl Rising explores the power of education, as it documents the lives of nine girls born into unforgiving circumstances who courageously revolt against cultural norms to follow their dreams.

“Most people do not realize that there is no such thing as a free education for children in developing countries. One of the first steps necessary to break the cycle of poverty is a basic education,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “If a child’s parent doesn’t have the money for tuition, the uniform, or the school supplies – then that child does not attend school.”

With a month remaining, now is the time to register for the fourth annual Hope For Haitians 5K Walk/Run For Education on Saturday, May 9, at 8:30 a.m. at Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Avenue (Route 31), Geneva, Illinois.

Pre-registration is $25 for adults (13+), and is free for participants 12 and under. Registration is $30 for adults on the day of the event. All registered participants will receive a T-shirt, goodie bag, breakfast and access to activities for children. Registration is available online at www.FoodForThePoor.org/geneva.

For more information on the Hope For Haitians 5K Walk/Run For Education, contact Amy McTeague at 630-730-0227 or email Rachel Piering at rachelp@foodfoorthepoor.org.  Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., the walk/run begins at 8:30 a.m. The course is chip-timed. Medallions will be presented to first, second and third place finishers in each age bracket for both male and female runners. Children’s age brackets include 10 and under, 11-14, and 15-19.

Since 2001, Food For The Poor and Hope For Haitians have collaborated to improve the lives of destitute families in Haiti. Through the construction of new homes with access to safe drinking water, the implementation of sustainable development projects, and the funding of medical and education programs, the lives of hundreds of thousands of people have been positively transformed throughout the country.

The pre-event was supported by Ron Onesti, CEO/President of The Arcada Theatre, and Rosary High School in Aurora, Illinois.

Principal 5K Walk/Run event sponsors are the Lorden Family, Lou Bachrodt Automall and Chick-Fil-A. Additional sponsors include Colour Line Hair Salon, DMK Dentistry, Geneva Cruise and Travel, Kane County Chronicle, Kelly Orthodontics, and The Fresh Market.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Swank Farms dinner

Swank Farms in Palm Beach County.
Darrin Swank leads the tour through the Loxahatchee Groves' hydroponic growing house. Photo/ Joe Skipper

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 10, 2015) – The final chance this season to dine al fresco and savor enticing farm-to-table meals prepared by renowned chefs is April 26 at Swank Specialty Produce, 14311 North Road, Loxahatchee, Fla. 33470. The Swank Table dinner theme is “Prime Cuts: A Beef Lover’s Paradise,” and proceeds will benefit Food For The Poor.

“We want to close the season with a bang. The meal is basically seven courses with dessert,” said Jodi Swank, who owns the farm with her husband Darrin. The dinner series began five years ago when Jodi hosted a dinner at the farm. Today the dinner series includes seven, sold-out events.

Guests will be greeted with a signature welcome drink prepared by Ryan Zemel, manager of Buccan, in Palm Beach, and sparkling nonalcoholic flavored water will be served by onli™ Beverages. Following bites by Whole Foods Market, guests will tour the Loxahatchee Groves’ hydroponic growing houses. Zucchini, squash, carrots and radishes will all be in season.

The family-style dinner in the Swank’s pole barn pays tribute to beef lovers, with chefs Chris Miracolo (S3, Fort Lauderdale); Isaac Cerny (Pistache French Bistro, West Palm Beach); Blake Malatesta (50 Ocean, Delray Beach); Jerry Valvano (Ganache 316, Boca Raton); Ryan Zemel (Buccan, Palm Beach); and sommelier Chris Birnie-Visscher. The event beverage sponsor Premier Beverage Company, LLC, and South Florida’s largest craft microbrewery, The Funky Buddha Brewery, will be on hand to serve wine and micro-crafts.

Entertainment will include a performance by The Andrew Morris Band, a country music band from South Florida.

Each ticket costs $155, and the dinner will be held rain or shine. To order tickets, please visit www.swankspecialtyproduce.com.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Chlune’s Journey

Chlune’s Life-Changing Journey from Haiti to Boston

Food For The Poor celebrates 33 years of service.
Suzan and John Driscoll at Massachusetts Hospital School with Chlune on March 30, 2015.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 2, 2015) As millions worldwide prepare for what is considered by many the holiest day of the year, this Easter Sunday will be even more special for one Boston-area family and an 8-year-old Haitian girl who captured their hearts.

Chlune Dorviler‘s life has been forever transformed by the kindness of a loving couple. John and Suzan Driscoll are preparing a special kind of hospitality for a loving little girl whom they affectionately refer to as their “little angel.”

In 2013, longtime Food For The Poor supporter John Driscoll took his first mission trip to Haiti with the charity. On his second trip to the Caribbean nation in April 2014, this time with his wife Suzan at his side, he visited the Little Children of Jesus orphanage. While there, they caught sight of a jovial little girl chatting and laughing with Food For The Poor-Haiti Missions & Travel Officer Huguette Guerre, who would later play a vital role in Chlune’s journey.

Chlune was born in Torbeck, Les Cayes, Haiti, in 2006. She has hydrocephaly, which is the buildup of excess fluid in the brain. By the time Chlune was 5, the weight of her head was approximately 25 pounds. Three years ago, after it was determined by her family they could not provide for her care, she was sent to live at the Little Children of Jesus orphanage near Port-au-Prince, which is supported by Food For The Poor.

Suzan, a retired educator, was moved by what she saw and told her husband they had to help this child with the magnetic personality to get the medical care she desperately needed.

“My wife has worked with special needs children her whole life, setting a wonderful example for our family,” said John. “God has been so good to me and my family. I feel it’s my obligation to help others to achieve a better quality of life.” 

After eight months of planning, an international patient placement operation was set in motion. With the support of doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital, who had agreed to treat her, Chlune arrived in Massachusetts from Haiti, on Dec. 8, 2014 with her father, Vanel Dorviler, and Madame Guerre to serve as their interpreter.

The John and Suzan Driscoll Family Foundation, through Food For The Poor, paid for Chlune’s travel and some of the medical expenses, along with the travel and room and board of Chlune’s father. Sadly, three days after her arrival, Chlune began having seizures and was placed in a medically induced coma. That’s when doctors determined there was nothing more they could do surgically.

Chlune’s father was disappointed when he learned that no surgery would take place. However, John and Suzan were adamant that Chlune would not return to Haiti in the same condition she arrived. Providing her with a better life became their focus.

“The Little Children of Jesus orphanage is a blessing beyond words for dozens of children, many who have severe physical disabilities,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “The loving staff at the orphanage is giving these children the best care possible, but life in Haiti is not easy and it is especially difficult for a child who needs constant medical care. What the Driscoll family is doing for Chlune is truly a miracle for this vibrant little girl.” 

After her recovery in the hospital, a number of possibilities were explored. On Jan. 20, 2015, Chlune was admitted to the Massachusetts Hospital School in Canton, a beautiful campus that is home to 95 physically disabled children and teens. Chlune, unlike some children who have received minimal treatment for hydrocephaly, has good cognitive skills and is receiving one-on-one care from physicians, therapists, and educators.

Chlune’s father Vanel and Madame Guerre have since returned to Haiti, but not before witnessing the miraculous milestones in her young life. She can sit up longer, feed herself, and color in books. Chlune loves attending school and is even learning to speak English. Her father, who has the necessary visa to come and visit her from Haiti, is overwhelmed by the support of the Massachusetts Hospital School and the generosity of the Driscolls, who have fallen in love with his daughter.

“This has been a team effort with so many people working together to help this little girl. We can’t thank them enough,” said John Driscoll. “I have been a supporter of many causes my entire life, but to be available to help someone on a personal level is so much more gratifying than giving money.”

On Saturday, the Driscolls will make the 40-mile drive to Massachusetts Hospital School and surprise Chlune with an overnight stay at their North Reading home, where a lovely dress and shoes await her. Dr. Gerald Paul and his wife Gertrude, who befriended the Driscolls during Chlune’s stay at Boston Children’s Hospital, also are invited. 

On Sunday morning, Chlule will attend her first Easter Service in America with the Driscolls and their five grandsons, along with the Paul family, an event no one could have ever imagined one year ago.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Offenders Released for Easter

Food For The Poor Releases Nonviolent Prisoners for Easter's Holy Week

(L to R) David Mair, Food For The Poor-Jamaica Executive Director; and Sandra Ramsey, Food For The Poor’s Jamaica Prison Ministry Program manager, released prisoners at St. Catherine Adult Correctional Center who were jailed because of their inability to pay small fines.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (April 1, 2015) – To prepare for Easter’s Holy Week, Food For The Poor donors offered second chances to 56 nonviolent prisoners in Jamaica (20), Honduras (16), Haiti (15), and Guyana (5). These prisoners, who were jailed because of their inability to pay small fines, are now able to celebrate the resurrection of Christ with their families.

“As the released inmates move from the darkness into the light, we pray they will recognize that God is merciful, and He is a God of second chances,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “You will open the eyes of the blind and set free those who sit in dark prisons…” (Isaiah 42:7, GNT).

On March 19 in Haiti, a Food For The Poor mission group entered the Cap-Haitien barracks to pay the fines of 15 nonviolent offenders.

“We have all heard of Third-World prisons, but seeing one is another experience altogether,” said Jim Christie, a Business Development Manager at Performance Services. “There were faces pressed against the cell bars and heavy metal mesh fencing with several arms and hands sticking out of small holes in the fencing. The cell was so dense with the faces and bodies pressing against the bars that you could not see light coming through from behind the prisoners.”

“Our prison ministry program included washing the feet of the prisoners, providing them a new pair of shoes through Samaritan’s Feet, praying over them for God’s graces, and then paying for their release back into society. The entire experience was overwhelming. The lack of hope in these prisoners’ eyes was extremely disturbing,” said Christie.

The Performance Services group paid the $327 fine to release a 13-year-old who broke a car window, while throwing stones with friends. The money had been raised through T-shirt sales before the mission trip.

The young man, who had been incarcerated for more than a month, said, “My parents are unable to come to my aid. That’s why I am so sad. But in the cell of the prison, I learned how to pray. I ask you to pray for me, my family, my friends, especially those who were in the same cell.”

In Guyana, another young prisoner was among the five inmates who were released on March 23 from Georgetown Prison and Timehri Prison.

The 17-year-old, a first-time offender who served 20 days of his six-week sentence for stealing a duck, was released after his fines were paid by Food For The Poor donors. The grateful young man told Food For The Poor-Guyana Chairman Paul Chan-a-Sue that he looks forward to being reunited with his mother and younger sisters.

Mahfood, who spoke to the freed prisoners by phone, cautioned and challenged them to never return to prison. The newly released prisoners were provided travel money and care packages.

A total of 20 inmates were released from several prisons and police stations in Jamaica on March 25 and 26. Many of the misdemeanors included traffic offenses and larceny.

The sole female inmate to be released in Jamaica was from Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Center.

“I was seated outside and a superintendent came up to me and said I should go in the chapel, so I obeyed her orders. Oh Jesus, I can’t tell you just how happy I was to hear my name, I had no idea that I would receive my freedom. I was trembling,” she said, with tears in her eyes. “When I heard my name I thought I was just getting a gift, then it was announced that Food For The Poor was paying my fine to leave the institution. I couldn’t even speak. I couldn’t move from my seat. I thank you all for this gift.”

“I want you to remember that everything in life works for your good once you have God as the center of your life,” said David Mair, Food For The Poor-Jamaica Executive Director, to inmates at St. Catherine Adult Correctional Center. “You should thank Him for this blessing you have received. I have worked for 18 years in corporate Jamaica, but in the eight months I have been at Food For The Poor, I have learned so much more as it relates to serving others. I consider Food For The Poor a strong arm for the Lord in this regard. To the inmates, I encourage you to help somebody just as you have been helped.”

While in prison, one inmate declined to receive the money his family sent to pay his fine, so his brother could receive medical treatment.

“I have a younger brother who is 14 years old,” said the 21-year-old, who was sentenced to 30 days for larceny. “While in prison, my mother told me that he was getting sick because of issues with asthma but she didn’t have the money to get him treatment. I love my brother dearly so I figured it was best for me to stay in prison and learn from my mistakes. It was better for me to live here for a while than to see my brother get severely sick, so I gave my mother the money to take care of his medical fees.”

When he learned that Food For The Poor was giving him a second chance, he said, “I appreciate this so much. I am really thankful for this assistance and I am really excited about going home to see my brother and mother.”

Since the inception of Food For The Poor’s Prison Ministry Program in Jamaica in 1998, the charity has assisted in freeing, training and reintroducing prisoners back into the community. Prison authorities have found Food For The Poor’s Prison Ministry Program to be so successful that they have implemented a similar program themselves. Some prisons now offer inmates jobs in the prison where they are held so that they can earn money to pay off their fines.

The final Easter prison release came on March 27 in Honduras. Sixteen prisoners wrote notes of gratitude to Food For The Poor donors, reflecting on past decisions, and the circumstances that led to their imprisonment.

Twice a year – during the week of Christmas and during Easter’s Holy Week – the Food For The Poor Prison Ministry Program releases inmates who have committed minor offenses. The ministry is based on the scripture, “…I was in prison and you visited me…,” (Matthew 25: 31-46).

To support Food For The Poor’s Prison Ministry Program, checks payable to Food For The Poor can be mailed to 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Fla. 33073. Please include reference number “SC# 74122” to ensure your donation is correctly routed.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

New Executive at FFP-Haiti

Food For The Poor-Haiti Names New Executive Director

Bishop Ogé Beauvoir, the incoming Executive Director/FFP Haiti Office, will be responsible for the charity’s operations within the country and provide a vital link to the organization in the U.S.

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 26, 2015) – The Board of Directors for Food For The Poor-Haiti has named Bishop Ogé Beauvoir as Executive Director/FFP Haiti Office. He will be responsible for the charity’s operations within the country and provide a vital link to the organization in the United States. The appointment is effective on May 1.

Bishop Beauvoir brings a depth of knowledge about the country, having been born there and then serving in the country as a missionary and priest. He was educated in Canada, receiving degrees at the Université de Montreal and the Montréal Diocesan Theological College. Ordained as a priest by the Anglican Church of Canada, he then returned to Haiti where he worked as a leader in education before traveling as a missionary in Africa and the Middle East.

"I look forward to working with FFP to help reduce poverty in Haïti and to empower families,” said Bishop Beauvoir, upon accepting the position.

He is currently Bishop-in-charge of the Northern Region of the Episcopal diocese of Haiti, a role he will relinquish when he begins work with Food For The Poor.

“In collaborating with Bishop Ogé Beauvoir through the church in Haiti, we have seen firsthand how he pours his heart and soul into work on behalf of the poor,” said Food For The Poor President/CEO Robin Mahfood. “He truly is a man of the people, and as we have walked with him through slums and prisons, we have witnessed his compassion and dedication to improve the lives of the people in his country. We are tremendously pleased to have him join our work at Food For The Poor.”

Bishop Beauvoir will be replacing Kareen Dolce, who has served as executive director of FFP/Haiti since March 2009.

“Madame Dolce has been a blessing to the people of Haiti and to Food For The Poor in one of the most tumultuous times in our experience of serving the country. Her work immediately after the earthquake, and in the rebuilding efforts since then, has been nothing less than heroic,” Mahfood said. “We will always be grateful to her, and we ask that God continue to bless her.”

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Schools in Jamaica

Food For The Poor Expands
Jamaica 50/50 School-Building Campaign

Students and teachers of the New Testament Early Childhood Development Center express their gratitude for their new school.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 26, 2015) – Food For The Poor’s campaign to construct or structurally improve 50 basic schools throughout Jamaica in 50 months has been completed, 18 months ahead of schedule. Thanks to strong corporate and individual support, the “Jamaica 50/50” school-building initiative has been expanded to an additional 25 schools.

New Testament Early Childhood Development Center in St. Catherine, Jamaica, was the 50th basic school in the charity’s Jamaica 50/50 campaign to be completed.

“Food For The Poor’s school-building campaign was a gift from our donors to the people of Jamaica to commemorate the nation's 50th anniversary of independence,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor President/CEO.  “In developing countries, poverty-stricken parents often cannot afford to send their children to school. Food For The Poor’s school-building program works to improve literacy and ensure that the poorest children receive nutritious meals island-wide.”

Food For The Poor donors from Hope Lutheran Church in Bonita Springs, Florida, rallied to raise money to complete New Testament Early Childhood Development Center after they learned about the critical need for schools in Jamaica from Food For The Poor speaker Pastor John Buuck.

Students at Faith Lutheran Middle School and High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, in addition to building a Food For The Poor home, also raised money to assist the students in Jamaica after they heard Pastor Buuck speak.

“Once we learned of Pastor Buuck's goal to build a school, it was determined that if Faith Lutheran surpassed their goal of building a house, the additional funds would be added to his congregation’s goal to build the school,” said Julie Buuck, Director of Student Life at Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School, and also Pastor Buuck’s daughter-in-law. “What a great idea – a school helping to build a school.”

Pastor Buuck attended the school’s dedication ceremony on March 3, and said the new school has made a remarkable difference in the community. He was impressed at how drastically improved the learning conditions were in comparison to those he saw in July 2014 when he helped to select the school.

Others attending the ceremony included Bishop of Montego Bay and Board Member of Food For The Poor, The Very Rev. Burchell McPherson; Jamaica’s Minister of Education, The Honourable Reverend Ronald Thwaites; and Food For The Poor-Jamaica Chairman Andrew Mahfood.

"I want to begin by expressing, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Food For The Poor for its continued support for education,” said Minister Thwaites during the dedication ceremony. “Specifically, we commend the organization for sticking to its commitment to build and upgrade 50 basic schools in 50 months as a gift to Jamaica and Jamaicans for the island's Golden Jubilee.
"You not only said it, you did it. This is in line with the government's overall policy to lift up the weakest in the society," said Minister Thwaites.

"We are so thrilled and happy to have received the 50th school building from Food For The Poor as part of their Jamaica 50/50 Campaign," said Veronica Baker, Principal of New Testament Early Childhood Development Center. "We had no school building in the past. We were behind the church in a space that was not suitable for teaching young children. Now, we have a wonderful building."

For information regarding Food For The Poor’s school-building initiative, or to support the program, please call 954-427-2222 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Donors Build 100K Homes

Food For The Poor Surpasses 100,000 Housing Milestone

With a new Food For The Poor home, this family in Honduras has received a second chance in life thanks to the charity's generous donors.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 23, 2015) – Food For The Poor’s generous donors have built more than 100,000 housing units for destitute families in the Caribbean and Latin America. The desperate living conditions of the poor inspired Food For The Poor to begin its home building initiative in 1985 in Jamaica.

Food For The Poor’s homes are well-built, safe and secure. These permanent homes not only benefit the families receiving them, but also provide much-needed work for local laborers. With the help of donors, Food For The Poor is on schedule this year to build approximately 8,000 housing units.

Food For The Poor donors constructed 7,367 housing units in 2014 and gifted them to destitute families. The greatest number of homes were built in Jamaica (2,057 housing units), Honduras (1,812), Haiti (1,774), and Nicaragua (1,594).

Special housing matches have fueled Food For The Poor’s ability to help change the dire circumstances of destitute families. Through the end of 2015, generous friends of Food For The Poor have offered to match any gift received to build homes in Nicaragua, Honduras and Jamaica. This means that every gift received to build a home in these countries will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

“The poor live in very dangerous situations and struggle with overwhelming circumstances every day,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor President/CEO. “It is difficult for many of us to imagine what it must be like to be surrounded by rain-soaked, muddy floors, and walls made of plastic on a daily basis. To escape a life of poverty, destitute families need a proper roof over their heads, clean water and sanitation.”

Click here to watch a photo documentary that illustrates the critical need for housing that exists in developing countries. 

Dilapidated shacks made of scraps of wood, metal, plastic and cardboard offer little protection from the elements, insects and rodents. As a result, illness and disease are rampant, especially among those who are most vulnerable — the young and elderly. In addition, the poor who live in these conditions are particularly devastated by natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes.

Last year, Food For The Poor donors built then 4-year-old Maudiel and his family a new, solid home in Nicaragua. By replacing the family’s primitive shack, which was strung together with dried palm fronds and ripped plastic tarps, Maudiel can now sleep peacefully through the night. He no longer wakes scared when the wind rattles the roof, or worries that the rain will turn the floor into mud. His new Food For The Poor house keeps him safe. Learn more about Maudiel’s story here.

In 1995, Food For The Poor-Haiti began a housing program and began building homes in Cite Soleil. Since then, 11,068 double-unit homes have been built in Haiti, 5,015 of them since the earthquake in January 2010. These sturdy homes provide the poor with shelter, safety and hope for the future.

A gift of $3,200 will build a single-unit home with sanitation; a gift of $6,400 will build a double-unit home with sanitation and a water component. In countries like Haiti, where the average household has seven members, Food For The Poor builds only double-unit homes by combining two single-unit donations.

For information regarding Food For The Poor’s home building initiative, or to support the program, please call 954-427-2222 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/home.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Friday, March 20, 2015

World Water Day

Every Child Should Have Access to Clean Water

Dania is often sick from drinking the contaminated river water, but it is her only water source.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 19, 2015) – Locating and maintaining a fresh water source is no easy task for the poor living in undeveloped communities throughout the world. But it’s especially difficult for children, young girls in particular, who often are assigned the task of collecting water for their families. In many cases, children must walk miles to gather water that may appear clean, but is filled with harmful and potentially deadly bacteria.

Millions around the world will be celebrating the 22nd annual World Water Day on March 22, which began in 1993 to bring attention to a different water issue every year. The 2015 theme for World Water Day is “Water and Sustainable Development.”  Water is at the core of sustainable development, reducing poverty, stimulating economic growth and environmental sustainability. 

Clean water prevents diseases and provides young girls with an opportunity to go to school and get an education.

Near the Nicaraguan town of Ocotal, located northwest of Managua, lives Dania. She’s a little girl who walks down a steep mountain every day to collect water from hand-dug watering holes near the banks of Rio Coco River. The water Dania collects is contaminated with bacteria and parasites that often make her sick, but it’s her only water source.

“Most of us would never collect water from a local canal or nearby pond for daily usage. We certainly wouldn’t drink it or give it to our children. The thought is incomprehensible, but for many throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, their water source isn’t much better,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “Proper sanitation and access to clean drinking water should to be available for everyone. Food For The Poor is committed to providing the poor we serve with this precious resource.”

Since 1998, Food For The Poor has completed more than 1,943 water projects, which include wells, cisterns, tanks, distribution systems, and water treatment units throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

To view a short video of Dania’s story, please click www.foodforthepoor.org/water.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Dani Johnson Has Heart for Poor

Dani Johnson is on a Village-Building Mission for Nicaraguan Families

Life for Pablo, his wife Maria (back), and their daughter, Rosa (center) and her two sons, who are living in a home built on top of an old gold-mining tunnel in Malpaisillo, León, Nicaragua, is no longer safe.
Life for Pablo, his wife Maria (back), and their daughter, Rosa (center) and her two sons, who are living in a home built on top of an old gold-mining tunnel in Malpaisillo, León, Nicaragua, is no longer safe. Blasts from nearby active mining sites are triggering sink holes. ABC Television’s “Secret Millionaire” and author, Dani Johnson, traveled to Nicaragua with Food For The Poor in January. Johnson will be helping the international relief and development organization to build a village of 100 homes.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2015) – Life for hundreds of families living in deteriorating homes built on top of a labyrinth of old gold-mining tunnels in Malpaisillo, León, Nicaragua, is no longer safe. León is located in the western department of Nicaragua and is a little more than 57 miles northwest of the capital city, Managua. Blasts from nearby active mining sites are causing these tunnels to crumble, triggering sink holes, which have claimed the lives of several people.

“We are tormented day and night by the blasts. We are so afraid that our house is going to go down into the ground that we take turns sleeping so that we can keep watch over our home and family,” said Pablo, a local resident. “Every time I hear that sound, I say ‘Oh my God, another person may have died’ and it is worse during the rainy season.”

Pablo and his wife Maria have lived in the mining community in León for more than 50 years, and now share their humble dwelling with their daughter Rosa, and her two sons.

Food For The Poor and the American Nicaraguan Foundation (ANF) had been working on securing safe land for these families when Dani Johnson, ABC Television’s “Secret Millionaire,” author, business and relationship expert, learned about their plight. Johnson, whose father is Nicaraguan, had visited her father’s homeland a few times, but traveled for the first time to the Central American country with Food For The Poor in January. Now she wants to help the international relief and development organization to build a village. So far, enough funds have been raised for the construction of 84 homes, but this is only the beginning of Johnson’s home building project for the Central American country.

“I feel like I wasn’t born here in Nicaragua for a purpose and that purpose was for me to come back and to help, not just my family, but as many people as possible,” said Johnson.

The Santa Pancha Village Community Development project will provide a new way of living for hundreds of Nicaraguan families. Each two-bedroom home comes with sanitation and a water component.  A community center also will be built in the central part of the village. Each family will receive two hens and a rooster, and be trained in self-sustaining projects.

“Food For The Poor has helped build thousands of homes, with the loving support of our donors, for destitute families living in some of the most deplorable conditions imaginable. The situation in León is really difficult, the people there are living in a constant state of crippling fear – it’s mental torture,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor.  “We’re so grateful that Dani Johnson has decided to work on another homebuilding project with Food For The Poor; it’s a priceless blessing she wants to provide for these families.”

Johnson’s journey with Food For The Poor began in December 2013, when she traveled to Haiti with the charity. During that trip, she saw what life was like in the remote community of Kadwa in Mirebalais. After speaking with some of the families living in unfathomable conditions, she made a promise to build a village of 70 two-bedroom homes and a sugar cane mill to provide economic growth for the entire region. Nearly one year to the date, Johnson returned to Haiti with Food For The Poor to see her promise fulfilled, and to find people and a community transformed.

"I feel like a human being. Before, I didn't have anything, not even a place for my child to sleep. Now, I can hold my head high in the community because I have my own home and a safe place for my family," said Cesar Salomon, a Kadwa, Haiti, resident.                                                                                             

Each family also received a solar kit, which includes solar panels that can power three accompanying lamps. Click www.FoodForThePoor.org/danihaiti to see Johnson’s mission trip to Haiti 2014.

“Returning at the end of the year and seeing the elation of that entire village in Haiti was amazing, but this time around with Food For The Poor and King’s Ransom, the project in Nicaragua will be even more dynamic because I know what’s coming and I know what I am going to see when I come back,” said Johnson. “I can’t wait to hand them the keys. We are months away from their brand new safe homes and a new life – that’s exciting!”

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Operation Starfish Invests in Poor

Untitled Document
(L to r) Fr. Richard “Dick” Martin’s younger brother, Jack, together with Food For The Poor President/CEO Robin Mahfood, unveiled a plaque in Food For The Poor's lobby to commemorate Fr. Martin’s dedicated service to the poor. Photo/ Food For The Poor www.FoodForThePoor.org/starfish
(L to R) Fr. Richard “Dick” Martin’s younger brother, Jack, together with Food For The Poor President/CEO Robin Mahfood, unveiled a plaque in Food For The Poor's lobby to commemorate Fr. Martin’s dedicated service to the poor.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2015) – Food For The Poor’s Operation Starfish® program invests small change to create significant change in the lives of the poor. The Operation Starfish® program is a simple way for your family, church, school or organization to celebrate the spirit of compassionate giving, and the difference we can make by saving one child at a time.

Operation Starfish® is designed to let families engage in the sacrificial spirit of Lent by giving participants both the opportunity for spiritual reflection and the chance to make daily sacrifices. The program encourages individuals to deposit 50 cents or more each day into their Operation Starfish® collection box to help the poor. At the end of Lent, when all donations are collected, combined and counted, projects to improve the lives of the destitute will be implemented.

The Operation Starfish® program has five arms of aid to transform the living conditions of destitute families. These programs include food, water, housing, education, and micro-enterprise opportunities.

Food For The Poor has free supplemental materials available to support Operation Starfish® activities, including special devotional calendars, beautifully illustrated donation boxes, children’s workbooks and a video. Food For The Poor’s devotional calendar features a daily Gospel reading and a weekly reflection. The children’s workbook is divided into several lessons that teach children about poverty in the world, while offering activities that are fun and informative. 

Those interested in starting an Operation Starfish® program at their parish, school, or organization can visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/operationstarfish  or call 877-654-2960 ext. 6219. Parishes nationwide also participate in Operation Starfish programs during Vacation Bible Study sessions, Christmas in July celebrations, Back to School fundraisers, and in preparation for Advent.  

For 16 years, Father Richard Martin, former pastor at Church of the Nativity in Burke, Virginia, attributed the growth and fruitfulness of his parish to the partnership with Food For The Poor through the Operation Starfish® program.

Fr. Martin died in May 2014 at the age of 74. In his memory, Church of the Nativity parishioners built an entire village near Grand Boulage, Haiti, with proceeds from their 2014 Operation Starfish Lenten campaign. The Good Shepherd Village will be the 10th village built by Nativity parishioners in the last 16 years.

“He was a tremendous pastor,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor President/CEO.

“Fr. Martin had a real love for people, and he exemplified Christ’s love everywhere he went. His genuine love energized his parishioners to year-after-year think beyond themselves, to create miracles for Haiti’s poor.”

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the 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 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.