Creating Lasting Hope: How FFTP Helps Families Build Stable Lives at Home
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (June 11, 2025) – In rural Colombia, families once faced an impossible choice: comply with the demands of armed groups or risk their lives. Growing illicit crops wasn’t a way of life they chose freely – it was about survival.
Today, that story is changing – one berry and one shrimp at a time.
From the hills of Cauca and Nariño’s coastline in Colombia to the cacao fields of Peru, the pepper farms of Jamaica, and the mountain villages of Ecuador, Food For The Poor (FFTP) helps families escape cycles of poverty and instability by creating real, sustainable alternatives.
With more than $18 billion in aid delivered since 1982, FFTP remains steadfast in its commitment to facilitate paths out of poverty and transform lives. A recent survey of FFTP donors underscores the importance of this work:
- • Nearly 90 percent of respondents strongly support FFTP’s mission to strengthen communities so families can remain in their home countries.
- • Over 75 percent believe it is clear that FFTP’s programs help families build stable lives.
In Colombia, this means helping families transition to legal farming. In Peru, farmers are now earning three times more by selling directly to global buyers. In Jamaica, families are transforming their harvests with modern irrigation systems. And in Ecuador, clean water is finally reaching over 1,100 people in remote communities.
With support from FFTP and its local partner CODESPA, 200 families like Seberiano’s in Colombia are now growing blackberries. Others are cultivating shrimp. They’re reclaiming their futures through sustainable farming that offers dignity, safety, and hope.
“It’s beautiful to see a bucket full of blackberries instead of marijuana,” said Seberiano, president of the ASKEWA Association in Miranda, Colombia. “It’s better to be stained with fruit than with blood.”
Through comprehensive programs in housing, education, agriculture, and economic development, FFTP is committed to ensuring families across Latin America and the Caribbean can build stable lives at home rather than facing displacement due to extreme poverty.
“We believe that dignity comes from opportunity, and we are committed to helping families achieve stability where they are,” FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine said. “Through collaboration with trusted local partners, we are making sure families have access to the resources they need, not just for today, but for generations to come.”
Jamaica: Sustainable Farming for Resilience
- • Since 2021, 16 farmers in Thatch Walk have received rainwater harvesting systems, storage tanks, and drip irrigation tools.
- • Partnership with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority has improved hot pepper yields and market access.
- • The initiative revitalized community farming efforts and increased local engagement.
Ecuador: Safe Water for Over 1,100 People
- • Water infrastructure was upgraded in four communities in Parroquia La Carolina, reaching over 1,100 people.
- • The system is sustained through community-managed maintenance and local authority support.
- • Families now have reliable access to clean water for the first time.
Peru: Cacao Farming Lifts Families From Poverty
- • 500 farming families in Ucayali boosted income by 20% through sustainable methods and fair-trade access.
- • Direct partnership with KAOKA tripled annual income and eliminated middlemen.
- • Families gained financial stability, food security, and increased women’s participation in training and leadership.
These country-level successes reflect FFTP’s broader strategy that puts families at the center of long-term solutions to poverty – rooted in dignity, opportunity, and the power of partnership.
“These projects prove that sustainable change is possible,” Raine said. “When you give people the right tools and opportunities, they lift themselves out of poverty. That’s the power of hope in action.”
About Food For The Poor
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]
