FFTP Shifts Haiti Operations to North, Increases Focus on Long-Term Programs
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (June 10, 2026) — Food For The Poor (FFTP) is reaffirming its deep and ongoing commitment to Haiti, highlighting continued operations and expanded reach in the northern part of the country, and a renewed focus on sustainable, community-driven transformation following a recent leadership visit.
FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine met with FFTP-Haiti leadership and visited multiple project sites in late March, marking his first return to the country since December 2018.
The organization now routes the majority of its humanitarian shipments through the port of Cap-Haïtien, enabling aid deliveries to continue despite severe disruptions caused by gang violence in Port-au-Prince while supporting efforts that link food distribution with local agriculture and community development.
“Let’s be clear. Food For The Poor is very much active in Haiti,” Raine said. “What I experienced during my visit was not an organization slowing down, but one that is adapting and continuing to serve communities. We are open for business, and the need remains as urgent as ever.”
Delivering Aid at Scale
FFTP has 64 active projects across Haiti totaling more than $12 million, with nearly three-quarters fully funded.
The organization has delivered:
• More than 600 containers of food and supplies during the past year while moving 130 containers a month through Cap-Haïtien
• More than 83,500 bags of rice distributed between January and May 2026
• Assistance reaching more than 2,100 partner organizations and community entities between March and May, including schools, children’s homes, parishes, hospitals and other community organizations
• Nutritional support for 383 vulnerable beneficiaries, primarily children and pregnant women, through FFTP’s Nutritional Recovery Center
In May alone, FFTP distributed 8,505 bags of rice and provided assistance to approximately 329 partners.
As of June 5, 166 containers remained at the Cap-Haïtien wharf awaiting customs clearance, while 18 additional containers were in transit to the northern port.
From Relief to Longer-Term Support
While meeting immediate needs remains a priority, FFTP is expanding efforts aimed at longer-term stability.
Mario Nicoleau, CEO of Food For The Poor-Haiti, said the approach focuses on linking multiple areas of need.
“We are building more than homes. We are building communities,” Nicoleau said. “Our goal is to help families move toward stability and self-sufficiency.”
Even as humanitarian needs remain high, housing, school and water projects continue across multiple regions of the country.
Construction is ongoing on 40 homes in Léogâne and Miragoâne, including 20 homes being built in partnership with Compassion International. During May, two major education projects reached final acceptance, while work continued on water access projects and community development initiatives serving vulnerable communities.
In central Haiti, FFTP is also finalizing a beekeeping initiative in Hinche that includes 150 beehives and will serve as a training center to expand income-generating opportunities for local families.
Food Programs Linked to Local Agriculture
FFTP is working with international partners, including the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund, to support local food production in Haiti.
Farmers are being provided with rice seed and technical support aimed at increasing local production and reducing reliance on imported food.
“This isn’t just about handing out food,” Raine said. “It’s about giving people the ability to feed themselves.”
The effort is also reflected in a school feeding program called SHINE (Strengthening Hope through Inclusion, Nutrition and Education), which connects nutrition with local agriculture.
Supported by a major donor and implemented with partners including Acceso, the breakfast program serves 29 schools and thousands of students across Haiti, including more than 400 at one school Raine visited. It provides cassava bread and peanut butter sourced from local farmers and producers, supporting both student nutrition and agricultural livelihoods.
“This is a very virtuous cycle,” Raine said. “It’s not just about feeding children. It also supports farmers and families involved in producing the food.”
Community Facilities Add Basic Services
FFTP is building facilities that provide electricity, internet access and shared resources in communities that previously lacked them.
Raine visited a community where a newly built community center will provide solar power, internet access and shared media resources such as television. In areas without reliable electricity or internet, a facility like this is expected to support education, communication and local economic activity.
Looking ahead, FFTP is calling on donors and partners to remain engaged as needs continue to grow. Approximately 5.8 million people in Haiti are facing acute food insecurity, including 1.8 million in urgent need of assistance. More than 1.4 million people have been displaced by violence, and ongoing insecurity continues to limit access to essential services and humanitarian assistance.
“Haiti has always been deeply personal to me and to this organization,” Raine said. “The challenges are real, but so is the opportunity to make a lasting difference.”
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the United States, is committed to facilitating paths out of poverty and transforming lives. As an interdenominational Christian ministry, we help families across Latin America and the Caribbean. Our efforts span urgent humanitarian relief and long-term development – from emergency aid and hunger alleviation to education, housing, and economic empowerment. We follow a distinctive approach that integrates faith, multi-sector strategies, and trusted partnerships. Whenever possible, we strive to work at the community level, partnering with local leaders and residents to co-create sustainable solutions that address the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. For more information, please visit foodforthepoor.org.
Michael Turnbell
Communications
954-471-0928
[email protected]
