At Food For The Poor, feeding the hungry is at the heart of our mission. We prioritize the preservation of human dignity and compassionate care for those in need. Our approach to poverty is rooted in sustainable, community-driven solutions that empower long-term change. From 2019 to 2023, we provided 943 million meals and delivered $3.2 billion in aid to communities across Latin America and the Caribbean. Our growing network of donors and volunteers shares our belief that poverty is not inevitable—it is solvable. Join us in the fight: spread the word, shop from our Humanitarian Gift Catalog, or become a donor today.
In times of crisis, every second counts. Natural disasters strike with little warning, leaving vulnerable communities in urgent need of food, clean water, and shelter. That’s why we’re committed to pre-positioning emergency relief supplies—storing critical aid in strategic locations ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.
This proactive approach ensures that lifesaving resources are ready to move the moment disaster hits, reaching families faster and more effectively. With your support, we can respond not just quickly, but with compassion and impact—because when everything is at stake, timing is everything.
Catch up With Beyond the Plate Podcast Season 1 and 2
Join Paul and Danny live in the studio for Season 1 and 2 of Beyond the Plate as they engage in thought-provoking conversations with a powerful lineup of guests. From Barron Segar, CEO of World Food Program USA, and Monica Majors of World Central Kitchen, to Steve Urchin, manager of Sean Paul, and global music icon Shaggy, each episode dives deep into stories that go far beyond feeding the hungry. This season shines a light on thought leaders, innovators, and changemakers who are breaking the cycle of poverty and driving lasting impact through compassion and creativity.
You'll also hear inspiring perspectives from Cedella Marley, daughter of the legendary Bob Marley, Christian singer Blanca, and beloved Hispanic star Angélica Vale, as they share how uniting communities through sustainable development can create meaningful, long-term change. Tune in for powerful stories of hope, resilience, and real solutions that uplift lives and nourish the soul.
INVEST IN STYLE, SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE
Support our Empowering Women Through Sewing project, an initiative dedicated to helping women from underserved communities in Guatemala and Honduras achieve sustainable incomes. Through this program, participants refine their craftsmanship at our training centers, learning to create high-quality handcrafted handbags and other unique products.
To further this mission, we’ve launched a pilot gift program featuring a selection of our handcrafted handbags. This initiative explores a model where everyday purchases—like a handbag—not only fulfill personal needs but also contribute to a meaningful cause.
A Mercado Global handbag isn’t just an accessory—it’s a meaningful gift that represents hope and resilience. When you shop on our website you're making the statement that poverty isn't inevitable.
Every purchase helps create a stable economic environment within impoverished communities, which can lead to food security and reduce dependency on aid. It’s an investment in breaking the cycle of poverty through fair trade practices that uplift entire communities.
Each handbag is a unique piece of art, handcrafted by skilled artisans who draw on traditional techniques passed down through generations. This supports cultural preservation while giving artisans a source of pride and financial independence.
Handbags are ethically crafted, prioritizing fair labor practices and sustainable production. With each purchase, you’re helping prove that we can tackle poverty through sustainable community development.
Buying a Mercado Global handbag provides sustainable income for artisans in marginalized communities, directly helping them support their families. By working part-time, artisans can make up to $8 a day, which is enough to lift themselves out of poverty over the course of a few months of engagement.
By shopping with us, you’re supporting a test initiative designed to demonstrate that we can build a sustainable, closed-loop system between our micro-enterprise programs and an online marketplace. If the test is successful we'll be able to scale up our programs.
How Hunger Relief Becomes a Foundation for Self-Sufficiency
Programs such as Empowering Women Through Sewing and Angels of Hope are created to empower beneficiaries to achieve self-sufficiency and inspire them to build strong, supportive communities. We are committed to finding simple, effective ways to fight hunger and poverty without causing harm to the people or the countries we serve. To ensure a lasting impact, Food For The Poor takes a holistic approach, working closely with in-country partners who implement solutions based on their specific areas of expertise. Explore each focus area to learn more about our initiatives.
Focus: 1
Hunger Relief & Food Security
Urgent needs such as malnutrition or undernutrition need to be addressed before treating other poverty causes.
Economic empowerment enables families to steadily achieve a sustainable income and ultimately attain self-reliance. It is especially critical in remote areas.
Economic empowerment enables families to steadily achieve a sustainable income and ultimately attain self-reliance. It is especially critical in remote areas.
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 12, 2026) – As the world marks International School Meals Day, Food For The Poor (FFTP) is highlighting how school feeding programs […]
FFTP Magazines: WINTER edition available for download
The Winter 2026 issue of United focuses on Jamaica’s recovery from Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which devastated homes, schools, and livelihoods. Food For The Poor responded immediately with food, water, shelter materials, and coordinated airlifts, ultimately delivering over 4 million pounds of aid to 24,000 families and mobilizing 1,600 volunteers.
The issue also highlights long-term rebuilding rooted in faith, from funding new classrooms through the Rafe Cochran Golf Classic to packing 124,000 MannaPack meals for families. Stories of resilience and hope show FFTP’s commitment to restoring homes, dignity, and opportunity, walking alongside Jamaica every step of the way.
How Food For The Poor and Water Mission Are Bringing Safe Water, Sanitation and Hope to Chiapas Access to safe drinking water is one of the most powerful tools for transforming lives. Yet millions of families around the world still lack reliable water and sanitation systems, putting their health, education, […]
In this blog, you will meet young entrepreneurs in rural Colombia who are turning classroom lessons into thriving micro‑businesses that boost family income, restore dignity and open doors to long-term opportunity. You will see how skills training, seed capital and spiritual encouragement are helping them move from surviving to thriving, […]
