Grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative (GFI) are supporting food distribution to the Hispanic community in Lancaster, Pa., agriculture micro-projects by the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela, a community garden project of the Church of the Brethren in Spain, and sustainable agriculture education in Burundi.
Financial support for GFI grants is received at https://churchofthebrethren.givingfuel.com/gfi.
Find the latest newsletter from the GFI at https://mailchi.mp/brethren/gfi-update-2023-5.
Venezuela
A grant of $15,500 supports nine agriculture micro-projects of churches affiliated with Asociación Iglesia de Los Hermanos Venezuela (ASIGLEH, the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela). The projects include poultry, maize, banana, and various vegetable production efforts spread out across the country. A previous grant of $12,000 was given to this project in fall 2022. Of the crops harvested, some were given to families in need, some were sold to add to the 2023-2024 project budget, and some were utilized to help feed delegates to the 2023 Venezuela church’s annual conference.
Spain
A grant of $5,616 supports the community garden project of the Gijon congregation of Iglesia Evangelica de los Hermanos (the Church of the Brethren in Spain) in Asturias. More than 200 people have benefitted from this project since its inception, primarily immigrants and people with low incomes. Fresh produce from the garden supplements dry and canned goods from the Spanish government (via the Red Cross) distributed through a food pantry operated by the congregation. This grant will provide funds for the purchase of two greenhouses/high tunnels, along with some tools, vegetable transplants, water, and tractor rentals.
Please pray… For the work of the GFI to support food needs and agriculture in many countries around the world.
Pennsylvania
A grant of $4,898 supports the purchase of a new refrigeration and freezer for a food distribution program of Alpha and Omega Community Center serving the Hispanic community in Lancaster, Pa. Alpha and Omega’s ongoing goal is to strengthen the community in Lancaster County, with a focus on Latino families, providing services to 500 to 600 people per month. A new refrigerator and freezer will allow the program to receive and distribute more perishable food items, specifically from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and Community Action Program (CAP), Blessings of Hope Ministries, and Church of the Brethren congregations in Atlantic Northeast District.
Burundi
A grant of $2,166 supports a Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture workshop held May 3-4 near the city of Bujumbura. The event was hosted by the leadership of the Church of the Brethren in Burundi, and was attended by some 30 participants. GFI volunteer Christian Elliott, a retired farmer who has received training in “Farming God’s Way” (mulch-based agriculture techniques utilizing biblically based creation care instructional materials), provided instruction.
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