Food For The Poor (FFTP), based in Coconut Creek, Florida, was founded in 1982 as an interdenominational ministry that serves the poorest of the poor in 16 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. Since its inception, FFTP, a registered charity, has provided more than $4.8-billion of food, medicine, housing materials and other aid, and has built more than 40,000 homes for the destitute.

In 2006, 4,054 tractor-trailers of aid were distributed.
In 2007, 4,340 tractor-trailers of aid were distributed (over $1-billion)

In Jamaica, more than 1,800 churches work as distribution partners for food, medicine, educational supplies and other needed items. Haiti has a network of over 2,000 partner schools, churches, hospitals, orphanages and other non-governmental organizations that distribute the goods. Other countries in the region assisted include Antigua, Argentina, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Food For the Poor’s mission is to link the church of the First World with the church of the Third World in a manner that helps both the materially poor and the poor in spirit. FFTP collects funds from North American and European benefactors, purchases the goods, and ships them to partner countries for distribution through churches and charity organizations already operating in the areas of need.

FFTP believes that education and self-help must fortify charity work so recipients can break the cycle of poverty. FFTP programs include:

1. FEEDING- Food distribution programs are set up with churches, schools, hospitals, missionaries and other charitable organizations such as Salvation Army, Caritas, the American-Nicaraguan Foundation and others. The main feeding program at Port-au-Prince alone feeds an estimated 15,000 people each weekday. FFTP also partners with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). One example of this program is a school feeding program in Guatemala that serves more than 100,000 children a year, with an additional 160,000 children, family members, teachers and caregivers receiving take-home rations. More than 32-million pounds of food provided through USDA grants were distributed in 2006.

2. HOUSING - FFTP has built more than 40,000 basic housing units since it began its work. The homes provide shelter, and also provide income for local workers who build the homes.

3. EDUCATION - FFTP ships books, school supplies, furniture, computers and other items to schools in the Caribbean and Latin America. Used furniture and equipment from school districts in the USA are received and shipped to needy schools.

4. MEDICAL CARE - FFTP solicits donations from major manufacturers of medical supplies and medicines for delivery to its partners. In Haiti, FFTP operates a full-service hospital and outpatient clinics, as well as providing medical supplies to other hospitals, clinics, AIDS facilities, homes for the elderly and orphanages throughout the region.

5. ORPHANAGES - More than 450 orphanages received aid from FFTP in 2006, and FFTP donors have sponsored over 3,000 children in 9 countries.

6. WATER PROJECTS - Since 1998, FFTP has completed more than 300 water projects in areas where women and children often have to walk for hours each day to find clean water. 

7. MICRO-ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT- FTTP works to provide long-term sustainable solutions to poverty with projects such as fishing villages in Haiti and Jamaica, agricultural research and training centers in Nicaragua and El Salvador, Tilapia farms in Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, animal rearing projects, woodworking shops, sewing enterprises, automobile repair shops and bakeries.

8. EMERGENCY RELIEF- Food, water, building supplies and emergency aid are provided after natural disasters. Besides the Caribbean and Latin America areas, assistance was sent to the tsunami victims in Indonesia in 2004 and to USA victims of recent hurricanes.

Information on donation opportunities and other programs is available through their website.