Fund directs grants to Africa, Brethren 'growing projects.'

In two grants totaling $50,000, the General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) is supporting a Church World Service campaign to address the root causes of hunger and poverty in Africa, and is making money available to assist Church of the Brethren congregations in launching "growing projects" with the Foods Resource Bank.

An allocation of $40,000 has been given to a four-year campaign of Church World Service to address root causes of hunger and poverty affecting children, people living with HIV/AIDS, and displaced people in several regions of Africa. The Brethren funds will contribute to components of the campaign dealing with hunger and poverty alleviation, water for life, and help for people living with HIV/AIDS. The campaign is focusing on areas of Angola, Sudan, Tanzania, and the Mano River region.

Ten grants of $1,000 each will be available for Brethren congregations or groups wanting to start growing projects with the Foods Resource Bank. Growing projects engage a congregation or group in a hands-on approach to hunger, as group members grow and sell produce and donate proceeds to the development of food security abroad. The Foods Resource Bank doubles the value of the gift through foundation and government sources. For more information contact GFCF manager Howard Royer at 800-323-8039 ext. 264 or e-mail hroyer_gb@brethren.org, or visit www.brethren.org/genbd/global-mission/gfcf.htm.

A newly constituted GFCF Grants Review Panel approved the two grants. The panel members are retired General Board staff member Shantilal Bhagat, former Dominican Republic mission coordinator Becky Baile Crouse, and retired Nigeria missionary Ralph Royer.

Source: Newsline 09/03/2004
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