The Church of the Brethren through its Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) has contributed an annual gift of $10,000 to the Foods Resource Bank (FRB). The contribution represents the payment of the denomination’s 2015 commitment as an implementing member of FRB.
In related news, the Church of the Brethren representative on the FRB board, GFCF manager Jeff Boshart, will be leaving the FRB board. Taking his place as denominational representatives will be Jim Schmidt of Polo (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, and Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service.
Boshart will continue on the FRB Membership Support Committee, which is tasked with seeking out new members for FRB.
Boshart reports that in addition to a new partnership with World Relief, the FRB also has made a shift in its membership and board structure. “Under the new structure,” he reported, “all of our Brethren-related growing projects are now members of FRB in their own right, and not through the Global Food Crisis Fund and the denomination. The new board will have more representation from the growing projects and other new corporate and non-profit members.” Boshart added, “FRB is reaching out to universities, agri-business, as well as other faith-based organizations.”
One example of a longterm FRB Growing Project sponsored by Church of the Brethren congregations is the Growing Project hosted by Polo Church of the Brethren. This year the project will consist of 40 acres of corn, with proceeds from sale of the corn to be invested in FRB to bolster smallholder agriculture abroad, reported Howard Royer of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill, one of four congregations contributing to the cost of seed and inputs.
Foods Resource Bank recently welcomed World Relief as a new partner in its work. World Relief, an international relief and development agency, joined FRB as an implementing organization. Some 15 other development agencies and hundreds of churches and volunteer groups work with FRB in growing solutions to hunger.
For more about the Global Food Crisis Fund go to www.brethren.org/gfcf .