FFTP Celebrates International Women’s Day by Investing in the Future of Women and Girls
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 3, 2025) – In honor of International Women’s Day, Food For The Poor (FFTP) is celebrating the power of investing in women and girls with the theme “Invest in Girls Today to Empower the Women of Tomorrow.”
Through sustainable programs that provide education, job training, and health care, FFTP is committed to breaking cycles of poverty and creating lasting opportunities for women in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“When you invest in women and girls, you invest in the heart of a community,” FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine said. “Women nurture, lead, and build lives, inspiring the next generation. By equipping them with education, skills, and resources, we can create long-term change that uplifts entire families and communities.”
International Women’s Day is a global day marked annually on March 8, celebrating women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. It was recognized for the first time in March 1911. Two years later, the date was made permanent to be celebrated annually on March 8.
Women across Latin America and the Caribbean face unique challenges, including limited access to education and economic opportunities.
Studies show that when women have access to education and economic opportunities, entire communities benefit. According to the World Bank, increasing women’s income and control over resources helps break the cycle of poverty. Additionally, the World Economic Forum reports that every $1 spent on girls’ rights and education generates a $2.80 return in economic growth.
FFTP’s programs help address these barriers by supporting projects that empower women to build sustainable livelihoods.
In Honduras, FFTP donors are providing agricultural tools and training to women to provide high-quality crops and connecting them directly to the marketplace. In Guatemala, indigenous women are combining traditional weaving skills with technical and business training through an FFTP partnership with Mercado Global to lift their families out of poverty.
Beyond these hands-on initiatives, FFTP is also fostering conversations that inspire action and highlight the importance of investing in women’s futures.
On Friday, March 7, FFTP’s Beyond the Plate podcast will feature women who will share personal and professional stories that illustrate how their lives have been shaped by their efforts to accelerate progress for girls and women. Lisa Lee Arnaud, an award-winning TV and radio broadcaster, will be joined by FFTP’s Vivian Borja, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, and Michelle Gollapalli, EVP & Chief Development Officer.
The podcast is available on all platforms and can be viewed at foodforthepoor.org/podcast after it premieres at 9 a.m., Friday, March 7.
To support Food For The Poor’s efforts to empower women and girls, visit foodforthepoor.org/womensday.
About Food For The Poor
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry children and families living in poverty primarily in 15 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, water, medicine, educational materials, homes, support for vulnerable children, care for the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance. For more information, please visit foodforthepoor.org.
Michael Turnbell
Communications
954-471-0928
[email protected]
