Food Distribution

Food Distribution
AN INSIGHT INTO HUNGER RELIEF IN GUATEMALA

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Direct Distribution and Meal Services

We provide immediate hunger relief and nutritious food to those in need through direct distribution and meal services. We’ve designed our food program to reach people in need wherever they are, whether they’re in urban or rural areas. Our program’s goal is to promote self-reliance and target long-term solutions to food insecurity.

Direct Distribution and Meal Services

Help Targeted to the Most Vulnerable Population

Working with program partners Hormel Foods, Caritas, and USAID, we identify and distribute food to those who are most vulnerable, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Through our commitment to assessing the effectiveness of our programs, we ensure that we provide the most effective possible assistance to those in need. Your donations allow us to sustain the program and expand its reach.




How we distribute food in Guatemala


Families are selected based on specific criteria, including nutritional food insecurity, the presence of young children, pregnancy, and other vulnerabilities. The program offers a selection of nutritious foods rich in essential nutrients to ensure optimal health for beneficiaries. Staple foods include carrots, squash, potatoes, seasoning, spinach, cauliflower, edible grass (macuy), leeks, tomatoes, plantains, bananas, sweet potatoes, apples, noodles, oil, soup, sugar, semi-skimmed milk, chicken, coffee, cheese, ketchup, cream cheese, juice, cookies, chamomile tea, oatmeal, toast, cereal, and ground meat. In addition to distributing staple foods, the program provides specialized formulas for infant and toddler nutrition.

Specialized Nutritional Centers

There are many nutritional feeding centers in Guatemala, and their programs may differ based on the main issues they face. For example, the Luis Amigó Nutritional Center focuses on recovering children from low-income families displaced by war, while the San José Nutritional Center takes care of children from the dry corridor, an area prone to droughts and food insecurity. The Sor Lucía Rogé Nutritional Center provides temporary refuge for children up to age five with developmental delays. The Chuaxán Feeding Center offers daily meals for children in an area where it is often their only meal of the day.



Maribel

Carlita, a 3-year-old girl, was diagnosed with kwashiorkor—severe acute malnutrition. She was referred to the program by a community leader. Her family consists of 8 members, including her parents and six siblings.

Carlita's mother is a homemaker, while her father works in agriculture, which is seasonal. This irregular work pattern means he doesn't work every day of the month, and his income is less than one dollar a day. The situation is compounded by limited access to food, healthcare, and transportation.

Upon enrolling in the program, Carlita was directed to a nutritional recovery center, where she received the appropriate care, including occupational therapy, to address her developmental delays. After four months, she has shown improvements in weight and height. Today, she's all caught up and leads an active and healthy life.

Carlita Josefa



Food Distribution Highlights

Food Insecurity

  • We feed over 10,000 adults and 15,000 children daily
  • in 2022, our food program served 37.5 million meals
  • A recent survey of participants shows that more than 95% of our beneficiaries reported having enough food after receiving assistance

child Growth and Development

  • Children enrolled in our food program experience notably higher growth and development rates than their peers
  • Whereas nearly half of Guatemalan children under five are chronically malnourished

Promoting Healthy Habits

  • We educate program participants on healthy eating practices, helping them improve their nutrition while reducing their risk of chronic diseases