With festive music and décor in the background, Food For The Poor (FFTP) volunteers in December packed 1,518 holiday food kits for impoverished families in the Caribbean and Latin America.

FFTP provides food for Latin America

More than 100 volunteers participated in the event, a pilot project for a new program in development at FFTP. The day began with a welcome from Jisabelle Garcia-Pedroso, FFTP Director of Programs and Operations.

“We are going to fill this room with the spirit of the season – the spirit of giving,” Garcia-Pedroso said. “Today is extra special because you are the first to help us develop a new kit-packing program at Food For The Poor. With your help, we will take this program throughout the United States to churches, businesses, schools, and communities and connect them to the people we serve in the Caribbean and Latin America.”

Once the pilot project is fine-tuned with feedback from volunteers and staff, groups will be able to host their own packing event using boxes, marketing materials and packing instructions provided by FFTP. The charity will pick up the kits after they are packed and ship them to beneficiaries.

The pilot project is another avenue through which FFTP is helping people who are struggling with food insecurity due to disasters or other extreme conditions.

“This will allow us to provide immediate relief while Food For The Poor continues to develop programs to lift people out of poverty through agricultural programs and other projects that provide food and a sustainable income,” Garcia-Pedroso said. “We want to get food to people as quickly as possible through projects like this, while also working on long-term solutions to extreme poverty.”

The event also included a visit from Oliver Mair, Consul General of Jamaica based in Miami, who praised FFTP for its efforts to provide support for impoverished families.

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

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