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.
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm—among the strongest ever recorded to make landfall there—leaving the island reeling with widespread roof destruction, mudslides, and power outages that affected more than half a million customers.
The storm has claimed dozens of lives in Jamaica and Haiti; in Haiti alone, at least 23 deaths were reported, with many homes collapsed and communities isolated by floods and landslides. With key infrastructure shattered, supply chains disrupted, and entire regions submerged, both Jamaica and Haiti face immediate crises of food, water, shelter, and medical care. Urgent mobilization of relief efforts is essential to deliver emergency aid, protect lives, and start the long process of rebuilding.
Deploying Aid
Acting Now to Deliver Rapid Emergency Response
Food For The Poor has activated full emergency operations in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, mobilizing teams across its Coconut Creek headquarters and Jamaica. Thanks to pre-positioned supplies in nearly every parish, the organization began delivering aid immediately after the storm. The Spanish Town warehouse remains secure, powered, and operating 24/7 to coordinate distributions of lifesaving essentials such as food, water, hygiene kits, and shelter materials. Air shipments will deploy as soon as operations resume in Kingston, while two marine containers are being prepared to depart from Florida within 48 hours. Additional aid—donated by partners including MAP International, Brother’s Brother Foundation, Harvest Time, Midwest Mission, Hope Humanitarian, and Matthew 25: Ministries—is en route with thousands of hygiene kits, bedding, tarps, and school supplies.
Food For the Poor’s commitment extends beyond immediate relief to long-term recovery and rebuilding. Over the next 90 days, the focus will include emergency food, water, and medical support, followed by home and roof repairs, community infrastructure restoration, and agricultural recovery. Assessments are underway in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where partner churches and warehouses have pre-staged food and supplies. Volunteer packing events in Coconut Creek have reached full capacity.
Cash donations remain critical to sustaining operations. Working with partners such as World Central Kitchen, Water Mission, AmeriCares, Airlink, and the Bob & Rita Marley Foundation, Food For The Poor continues to stand with the people of Jamaica and Haiti, bringing faith, compassion, and tangible help to those facing unimaginable loss.
Food For The Poor’s disaster response is now fully deployed, with active distribution centers coordinating nonstop relief across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. Teams are working around the clock to move supplies from the Spanish Town warehouse and Coconut Creek headquarters to the hardest-hit communities. The immediate focus is delivering essential items such as eco-stoves for safe cooking, clean water systems, mattresses for displaced families, and materials for home and roof repairs. As shipments continue to arrive by air and sea, these critical supplies will help stabilize vulnerable households, restore dignity, and begin the long process of recovery and rebuilding.
You can support families affected by Hurricane Melissa by donating essential supplies. Approved drop-off items are being accepted at the Coconut Creek Warehouse: hygiene items, diapers for children and adults, tarps, blankets, water boots, children’s school and art supplies, and feminine hygiene products.
Alternatively, you can text Melissa to 78077 to donate.
Turning Traditional Craft Into a Valuable Skill
Handcrafted Bags
Empowering Women With Pride and Dignity
Empowering Women Through Sewing is a collaborative project between Food For The Poor and Mercado Global that creates sustainable income opportunities for women in impoverished communities in Guatemala and Honduras. At dedicated sewing centers, women are trained to produce high-quality handcrafted handbags and other items. Each handbag is a unique piece of art, created by skilled artisans who use traditional techniques passed down through generations—and this is the second year in a row that supporters can purchase these beautiful purses on our website.
By working part-time, artisans can earn up to $8 a day, enough to lift themselves and their families out of poverty within just a few months. Since its launch in 2018, the program has empowered more than 800 women artisans, positively impacting 2,800 people through fair wages, cultural preservation, and economic resilience. All the proceeds from the sales of the Mercado handbags on our website are directly reinvested in the partnership.
From Disaster to Recovery
Building a Better Tomorrow
Explore our video library featuring humanitarian leaders, changemakers, and global advocates addressing hunger, poverty, disaster relief, and community development. Watch conversations with guests including Barron Segar of World Food Program USA, Monica Majors of World Central Kitchen, Shaggy, Cedella Marley, and Angélica Vale, alongside updates on Food For The Poor's emergency response efforts, including relief packing events, humanitarian partnerships, mission trips, and field reports. Together, these videos showcase the compassion, collaboration, and resilience bringing hope to vulnerable communities around the world.
2,800 Children in Urgent Need of Sponsorship
Be an Angel of Hope like the
Angélicas
For decades, mother–daughter duo Angélica Vale and Angélica María have captivated audiences worldwide with music, film, and storytelling. Today, their legacy expands beyond the stage. By joining Food For The Poor as Angel Ambassadors, Angélica Vale and Angélica María remind us that love is most powerful when it is shared. Sponsorship is more than a gift—it's the passing of hope from one generation to the next.
Together, they are raising their voices for the thousands of children in Latin America and the Caribbean who are still waiting for someone to stand with them. Sponsorship is not just monthly support, it's a lifeline of love, a pathway to opportunity, and a promise that no child will be forgotten.
"One act of kindness can create ripples that last a lifetime." - Angélica Vale
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.
Discover inspiring stories of resilience, faith and the life-changing power of generosity in the Fall 2026 issue of United. Meet Daysi, whose journey from severe malnutrition to renewed hope shows how compassionate care can transform a life. Learn how new classrooms are opening doors for Wayuu students in Colombia, how education is creating brighter futures in Honduras, and how a scholarship is helping a Jamaican student pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. This issue also celebrates children receiving vital medical care and students overcoming the devastation of Hurricane Melissa.
Explore how your generosity is helping children, families and communities build a future filled with hope and possibility.
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