Church of the Brethren joins the Foods Resource Bank.

In June the Church of the Brethren, through the General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF), joined the Foods Resource Bank (FRB), a faith-based partnership that engages congregations, land owners, farmers, and agribusiness in community Growing Projects. The Church of the Brethren is the organization's 16th member agency, joining others such as Church World Service, Lutheran World Relief, and Mennonite Central Committee.

GFCF manager Howard Royer explained how Growing Projects work: "Land is donated or rented for a year; farmers contribute time and equipment to plant, tend, and harvest the crop; and the yield is sold with the proceeds benefitting specific hunger programs abroad." The FRB coalition multiplies the donations of the projects, doubling the return through grants from sources such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and US AID. This year FRB members have 5,500 acres in 164 growing projects. In 2003, proceeds for hunger totaled $976,000.

Ivester Church of the Brethren, Grundy Center, Iowa, may be the first Church of the Brethren congregation to participate in the Foods Resource Bank, according to Royer. Ivester is partnering with the local Presbyterian church in a Growing Project that this year, with the Brethren co-sponsorship, is cultivating 154 acres. The crop is corn, some of which already has been pre-sold at $3 a bushel.

Royer is seeking other Church of the Brethren congregations and individuals who may be interested in exploring a Growing Project for their community. "My hope is for the Church of the Brethren to gear up with a half dozen growing projects in 2005," he wrote in a letter introducing the concept to district executives. A flier about the Foods Resource Bank will be supplied to congregations and districts this summer and a short video describing FRB is available from the GFCF office.

"The unique feature of FRB's Growing Project model is that it allows all participants to give a gift, many times a non-cash gift, and often one that only they can give, to allow people they may never meet to know the dignity and pride of feeding themselves and their families with extra to share, barter, or sell," according to FRB executive director Norm Braksik.

For more information contact Howard Royer at 800-323-8039 ext. 264 or see the FRB website www.foodsresourcebank.org.