The Global Food Initiative (GFI) is the primary way that the Church of the Brethren assists hungry people in developing food security. Since 1983, GFI (formerly Global Food Crisis Fund) has raised over $8,000,000 for community development projects in numerous countries around the globe. Read (and share!) the latest GFI newsletter or take a look at the list of 2020 allocations, 2019 allocations, or previous GFI allocations (scroll down).
GFI seeks to:
- invest in small-scale economic development
- join efforts to improve diet and health practices
- champion soil conservation
- promote awareness-raising and advocacy on hunger issues.
This work is made possible through your contributions. We encourage you to participate with us by:
- praying that those who are hungry may have food
- giving an individual contribution
- participating in our ongoing “My 2¢ Worth” fundraiser (contact GFI for questions or materials)
- taking an offering for GFI at your congregation or camp giving a one-time donation or memorial in honor of a loved one.
Your support of the Global Food Initiative upholds the biblical command to lift the burden of the oppressed. Moreover it honors God, for as stated in Proverbs 14:31, “Kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship.”
- Church of the Brethren staff plan expansion of agriculture and trauma recovery programing in South Sudan
A plan to expand Church of the Brethren agriculture and trauma recovery programing in South Sudan is receiving support from Brethren Disaster Ministries and the Global Food Initiative. A joint allocation directs $29,500 to the work in South Sudan, including $24,500 from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and $5,000 from the Global Food Initiative (GFI).
- GFI grants support pig project in Rwanda, community garden in North Carolina
The Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative (GFI) has announced its first two grants for 2021, supporting a pig project of the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda and a community garden of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Southport, N.C.
- Grants support hurricane relief, international groups affected by pandemic, community gardens
A GFI allocation of $20,000 is divided between four church-related international partners of the Global Food Initiative. Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed an EDF grant of $11,000 to the COVID-19 response of Haitian congregations of Iglesia de los Hermanos in the DR. An EDF grant of $10,000 supports hurricane relief by the Christian Solidarity Program (CSP) in Honduras. Two GFI grants support community gardens related to Church of the Brethren congregations.
- Global Food Initiative aids Brethren groups in DRC and Burundi among grant recipients
The Church of the Brethren Global Food Initiative (GFI) has aided Brethren groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, a humanitarian organization linked to the former Brethren mission in Ecuador, and a gardening project in New Orleans, in grants made since mid-year. Democratic Republic of Congo A grant of $7,500 has been given
- Global Food Initiative grants support community gardens, agriculture in Haiti and Ecuador
The Global Food Initiative (GFI) of the Church of the Brethren has given several grants in recent weeks, supporting community garden projects, agriculture in Haiti, a consultant for assessment of the programs of Fundacion Brethren y Unida in Ecuador, An allocation of $4,998.82 will help Osage Church of the Brethren in McCune, Kan., and the
- GFI grants go to agriculture projects in Nigeria, Rwanda, Guatemala, Spain, Burundi
The Global Food Initiative of the Church of the Brethren has made several grants in recent weeks. Among them are grants to a soybean value chain project and an orchard irrigation well of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Other grants are going to a pig project in Rwanda,
- Global Food Initiative and partner organizations carry out evaluation of agriculture project in Haiti
The Global Food Initiative (GFI) director Jeff Boshart, and a member of the GFI review panel, Pat Krabacher, have traveled to Haiti for a year-end evaluation of an agriculture project carried out jointly with Eglise des Freres Haitiens and Growing Hope Globally. The evaluation is ongoing under the direction of Klebert Exceus, former Haiti disaster
- My brother’s keeper: Remembering the Haiti earthquake of January 12, 2010
By Ilexene Alphonse January 12 is a date forever engraved in my heart for two reasons: first, January 12, 2007, I married the love of my life, Michaela Alphonse; second, January 12, 2010, the worst natural disaster in my time, a massive earthquake, destroyed my native country of Haiti and my people. It was the
- Two Church of the Brethren funds announce year’s first grants
The Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and the Global Food Initiative Fund (GFI) have announced first grants for the year 2020. Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed EDF grants to a rebuilding project in Florida following Hurricane Irma; new work of the Disaster Recovery Support Initiative (DRSI) under the direction of Church World Service (CWS); and flood
- Brethren bits for Dec. 19, 2019
— The latest post in the Church of the Brethren’s Nigeria blog shares “Stories from Maiduguri” by Roxane Hill. The stories and pictures come from a recent visit to the city of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria by Roxane and Carl Hill, and feature an interview with a young peace activist and the stories of three young women
Chef Kevin Belton caught up with local beekeeper, David Young, to see how he turned his home into something sweeter than produce.
Seedworld – Soybean helps rebuild Nigeria
Church of the Brethren and SIL collaborate on a Soybean Production Guide. Read the story here. Get the Soybean Production Guide here.
Read about an EYN soybean value chain learning trip to Ghana in this Soybean Innovation Lab newsletter.
Read an earlier article on this collaboration with the Soybean Innovation Lab (scroll down).
Find out about the 2016 visit to the Soybean Innovation Lab Soybean Management and Appropriate Research & Technology (SMART) farm in Ghana.
David Young of Capstone 118, GFI partner in New Orleans
Pastor Martin Hutchison of Community of Joy Church of the Brethren