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The Mission of Clark County Food Bank is to Alleviate Hunger and Its Root Causes. The first half of this two part mission is to Alleviate Hunger and we do this through our Food Distribution program. This program distributes over 10,000 emergency food boxes to approximately 33,000 people per month through our 29 partner agencies. The second half of our mission is the Root Cause work. We touch the root causes of food insecurity through our Nutrition Education program. This program teaches Cooking Matters Curiculum through hands on classroom courses. These courses help individuals acquire the skills and confidence to cook affordable and nutritious food at home. They are taught in various locations around Clark County in English and Spanish. We also reach youth through our Student Nutrition and Cooking (SNAC) program. We hold classes in partnership with Boys & Girls Club, Juvenile Recovery Court and Rocksolid Teen Center.

Perched atop the buried pre-classic Maya city of Chocola, the village of Chocola on the back slopes of the volcanoes that form Lake Atitlan, is poverty stricken yet poised to become a model of cultural celebration and self-sufficiency. What it needs most is leadership training and technical support to develop its potential for diversified agriculture, archeological-tourism, health care for its families and education for its children. In its simplest terms, the mission of Seeds for a Future is to help this impoverished community plan and achieve prosperity based on balanced development principles that protect cultural tradition, the natural environment and preserve the Mayan and post-colonial history of the town. Seeds for a Future traces its roots to the period from 2003 through 2006 when many Earthwatch Institute volunteers came to Chocola to work on the archaeological site, which was then being excavated under license from the Guatemalan government. The volunteers embraced being associated with an important archaeological endeavor and learned about the vast pre-Classic Maya city that may hold keys to the early development of Mayan language, system of time and other fundamental cultural practices. At the same time, many of us fell in love with the community, its families and children and the fabulous, healthy mountain environment. As a result, groups of volunteers organized to help a community struggling with terrible poverty and deprivation to find a way to prosperity without destroying their way of life or the delicate balance of their natural environment. A vision emerged among a core of volunteers, Guatemalan visionaries and local leaders in which Chocola is seen as lifting itself into a more healthy and prosperous community based on its historic farming skills, adding value to its coffee, vegetable and cacao producers and through community cooperative action. In the future, there is great promise for the development of Chocola as a tourist destination based on archaeo-tourism; conservation of the natural resources in which the community is embedded and conservation of one of the first and greatest coffee processing plants (beneficios) established during the 1890s. But we also discovered in the early years that before Chocola could begin to realize its potential, the people needed training in identifying their own vision for the future, learning to work together and acquiring the technical skills needed for success. Overcoming 500 years of economic and social servitude is not easily done, but real progress is being made and our program has been recognized as ground-breaking, by the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture and others. Four operating principles guide the work we do: We provide information and technical assistance to the people of Chocola to help them evaluate new opportunities and to plan. We provide direct funding and other forms of support for community requests for assistance on specific projects. These requests must come through Chocola leadership and must demonstrate sustainability and a willingness and capability of the community to provide part of the needed resources. All programs must aim at achieving self-sufficiency. We will help with programs that governmental agencies believe may be of value, provided that they too meet the same test as is noted for the community above. All such requests must be consistent with our mission to help the people and do no harm to either the Maya archaeological site or to the 1890 Coffee Finca site. In all of our programs we try to ensure that the participants become more engaged in the social and civil fabric, that they gain self confidence in their ability to change their own future for the better, and that we provide knowledge and coaching for a sufficient period of time that their activities and new ideas become self-sustaining in the community.

Mission To win children away from a life of war and delinquency, with love, through education and the holistic development of their academic, personal, and social abilities, empowering them to construct and achieve their own life projects. Vision That the children of Ciudad Bolivar will be capable of breaking their cycle of poverty and become the kind of persons that they desire to be. Values - Love and respect for oneself and for others - Always put oneself in the place of the other - Pursue excellence - Seek justice About Pintando Caminos Who We Are Pintando Caminos Asociacion para Recrear el Futuro (Pintando Caminos Association to Recreate the Future) is a registered non-profit that, for more than 12 years, has provided spaces and opportunities to improve the lives of boys and girls who live in the oppressed and impoverished neighborhood of Potosi, in Ciudad Bolivar (Bogota, Colombia). We desire to break the cycle of poverty in Colombia ad to provide the children and young adults with all the necessary tools for them to succeed in life in a dignified way, and to help the youth become complete and integrated persons, with values that make it possible for us to build a better country in the future.

To promote, encourage and project these principles in all its dimensions, within and beyond South Africa's borders. To benefit all of creation, in keeping with these principles, including service to plant, animal , environment and all of humanity irrespective of race, religion, colour, culture, political affiliation or geographical boundary. This service to be conducted in a non-judgemental manner. To uphold the dignity and honour of man, striving to make him self-sufficient and independent at the time of crisis or otherwise; (man refers to both genders where appropriate). To be gender sensitive and to take a special interest in the care of children , orphans , women , physically and mentally challenged individuals and the elderly . Without derogating from the generality of the aforegoing the activities of the Foundation , inter alia , include: Disaster management and humanitarian aid delivery in crises whether natural or man-made including floods, cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes , tornado, accidents and war; Establishment of medical facilities , clinics and hospitals; Delivery of medicines and medical equipment; Establishment of feeding schemes, food parcel delivery and poverty relief programmes including assistance with burial and funeral arrangements, provision of new and used clothing, blankets and baby milk powder; Provision of boreholes, waterwells and water purification tablets; Provision of free telephonic and face-face counselling services in matters of depression, drug abuse, relationship problems, HIV/AIDS, marital discord, parenting, learning difficulties, teenage problems, child abuse, domestic violence, maintenance grants, etc. ; Establishment of Drug Rehab Centres and Havens for the abused; women and children in particular; Establishment of orphanages and old age homes; Provision of wheelchairs, hearing aids, braille machines and any such equipment and aids to assist physically and mentally challenged individuals; Provision of Life Skills training; empowerment counselling and skills in counselling; Establishment of skills development programmes, entrepreneul skills and job creation projects; Promoting South Africa as a means to encourage tourism, investment and further job creation initiatives; Provision of agricultural implements and Farmer's Packs (seeds, fertiliser , LAN, etc.) to promote food security and self sustainability; Establishment of educational institutions whether religious or secular; Provision of bursaries, textbooks, stationery, computers, technology workshops and other educational support; Establishment of places of worship including a tekke (meeting place for dervishes or disciples); Promotion of peace, tolerance, understanding, love, mercy and inter-faith dialopue between people, communities, cultures and religions; Promotion of faith, spirituality and religious awareness ; Establishment of community radio, television and media to assist with all the above principles; Support of artists who can promote all the above principles through song , writings, etc.

Mission in the Third Millennium challenges Maryknoll Sisters to respond as women yearning for authentic justice and reconciliation in the midst of a fractured and divided world.  Called to reflect God's compassionate and inclusive love, we are sent to walk with peoples of many lands, crossing the boundaries of culture, race and religious beliefs.     Maryknoll Sisters live the gospel values through a variety of ministries. We are engaged in evangelization, pastoral work, education and social welfare, medicine, communications, agriculture and science.  We serve the poor wherever we find them: in their homes, in prisons, in hospitals, in refugee camps, and on the streets.     Some of us work with youth groups, women and the elderly, and in the arts and communications.  Others promote and participate in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.  Often we find ourselves networking with national and international non‑governmental organizations.     Wherever we are and in whatever we do, we strive to participate effectively in the mission presence and activity of the Universal Church so that God's Reign of peace, justice and love may be proclaimed and witnessed to throughout the world.  Mission means seeding hope wherever we are.

Project1808 promotes sustainable community development in Kabala, Koinadugu District, Sierra Leone by aiding young students in their efforts to identify and address the root causes of poverty, public and environmental health challenges, and other community-identified concerns. Among our project's specific aims are the following: Fostering academic excellence and nurturing a resilient knowledge base through student mentoring, tutoring, internships, and teacher training programs. Stimulating curiosity, creativity, and innovation through student generated projects that enhance knowledge and encourage students to implement their ideas in ways that benefit their communities. Facilitating local and global partnerships for knowledge exchange, training for students, teachers and community members, student mentoring, and resources to sustain the community knowledge base Our Model Project1808 Model for sustainable development At the core of our sustainable community model is an investment in disadvantaged youth, schools, and their communities to form the building blocks as LEGOs of healthy communities in Sierra Leone and Africa. Through specific GLocal (Global and Local) partnerships, we practice the concept of thinking globally and acting locally, enhancing the exchange of knowledge, increasing the cultural competency, and expanding the worldview of all of our participants. Project1808 is committed to optimizing partnerships between educational institutions locally, within Africa and overseas, particularly with the involvement of other African countries. We want to bring back hope to youths (and whole communities) whose lives, homes, families, schools, infrastructure, institutions were destroyed by 11 years of war in Sierra Leone.

Farmer Foodshare’s mission is to reshape the disconnected food system by removing barriers to growing and accessing local food. Farmer Foodshare is unique in that we approach hunger from both sides of the problem - supporting North Carolina’s small farmers who are struggling to stay in business and disadvantaged populations who lack access to fresh and nutritious food. Since 2009, Farmer Foodshare has fostered cross-sector partnerships to support our efforts to build a local food system in which all members of our community can have access to healthy, nutritious food, and those who labor in agriculture can make a viable living. Farmer Foodshare began as a grassroots effort at the Carrboro Farmers Market to address inequitable access to fresh, healthy food for all members of the community. Farmers, market shoppers, and those experiencing food insecurity alike began a produce donation program to collect food from shoppers and farmers for communities in need. This “donation station” concept now operates at 26 markets statewide. Some are run by Farmer Foodshare, some by local volunteers, and a few are driven by community organizations, and in 2018, they contributed 51,445 pounds of fresh produce back into the community. Over the past 10 years, Farmer Foodshare has expanded its impact. We now operate a Wholesale Market that provides local institutions a means to efficiently source produce from NC farmers and generated $636,000 in revenue for these growers in 2018; a Food Ambassador program that provides nutrition and food system education to more than 8,000 high need students; and Community Foodshare, which supports community organizations in identifying and creating a variety of sustainable strategies for sourcing and learning about fresh, nutritious local food. All of these efforts work to build a more sustainable and equitable local food system.

Gleaners Community Food Bank exists to provide households with access to sufficient, nutritious food and related resources. About the Cause: Headquartered in Detroit, Gleaners serves five Southeast Michigan counties: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe. Gleaners provides food to nearly 400 partner soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, schools and other agencies across the region, and supplements the efforts of those partners by offering direct service drive-up grocery distributions. Gleaners further empowers households with food programs and education to help overcome food insecurity. Every dollar donated provides three meals, and 92 percent of our expenses directly support our neighbors facing hunger.  Food Donations and Surplus: Gleaners has developed a very efficient, technologically advanced system to collect, store, and distribute food with very little waste through our state-of-the-art distribution center in Wayne County, supported by our distribution center in Livingston County and our headquarters in Detroit. This process allows Gleaners to handle a tremendous volume of donated food, as well as the fresh produce we purchase, to ensure our communities have access to a variety of healthy, nutritious food. Partner Agencies: Gleaners is devoted to getting surplus food and donated items directly to our partners, saving their organizations time and money so they can focus on better serving their communities. Together, we are increasing the amount of vital, emergency food available to our neighbors facing food insecurity and building capacity for service organizations to make an even greater impact toward solving hunger. Mobile Food Distributions: Gleaners also hosts direct-service, mobile distributions strategically located throughout our service area to supplement our partner network. These sites, operating on a rotating basis five days per week offer balanced nutrition – including fresh milk, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean protein and shelf-stable items – with no appointment necessary, built on a “no-contact,” drive-through model.

Too often grocery stores and restaurants find themselves throwing out food, when there is great need in nearby communities. MEANS Database modernizes food recovery in 48 states and the District of Columbia by connecting excess food to organizations and individuals who need it. Hunger lingers in the lives of the people it affects. In infants and toddlers, food insecurity is associated with failure to thrive, a devastating condition with consequences into adulthood (1). In early childhood, hunger is associated with diminished academic progress, more behavioral problems and unhealthy weight (2). By high school, it's linked with dropping out, and by early adulthood, with having children who also face hunger, the cycle starts over again (3). Food insecurity exists in every American demographic and geography, affecting every population tracked by the US Census. However, as it seems for every other social ill, the most rural, the most urban, and minorities in any location bear a disproportionate burden of the weight of hunger. While 12.7% of American families are food insecure, the rate for Black and Latino families are each about 20% (4). Jefferson County, Mississippi, is a study in these disparities: it has the highest percentage of black residents of any American county, and also holds the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of food insecurity in the United States, with nearly 38% of residents facing hunger (5). Meanwhile, while more than 42 million Americans rely on food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency food providers to feed their families, the United States grapples with an massive food waste problem. Forty percent of the American food supply ends up in landfills, with perfectly edible meals being thrown away at all stages of production (7). Food is the single largest contributor to landfill and incinerator mass in the United States, choking the nation's air while 1 in 8 Americans face food insecurity (8). Further complicating this feast and famine dynamic is the uncomfortable truth that even programs meant to address hunger frequently end up wasting food. The issue we are tackling with MEANS is huge: we're trying to prevent food waste and adequately address the problem of hunger. The USDA reports that 48.1 million Americans live in food-insecure households, while Feeding America says that 70 billion pounds of food are wasted in the US each year (8). This task may seem daunting, but we know that through the use of innovative technology like ours, we can help to change the future of food recovery. MEANS (Matching Excess And Need for Stability) is an online communications platform for emergency food providers and their donors. On a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, agencies create an account with MEANS, registering their contact information, location, the kind(s) of foods they are searching for, and the distance they are willing or able to travel to pick up those goods. Donors post their excess goods on MEANS, and the system emails and/or texts organizations nearby that need those goods. Our tool substantially reduces the communications gap between emergency food providers and their donors, preventing "donation dumping" on both sides. MEANS was designed to handle both traditional food donations, from grocery stores or caterers, and donations between emergency food providers. There is no charge for any of our organization's services, for nonprofit agencies or retailers. Citations: 1) Kersten, Hans B. and Bennett, David (2012) "A Multidisciplinary Team Experience with Food Insecurity & Failure to Thrive," Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 6. 2) Jyoti, Diana F.; Frongillo, Edward A.; and Jones, Sonya J. (2005) "Food Insecurity Affects School Children's Academic Performance, Weight Gain, and Social Skills" The Journal of Nutrition vol. 135 no. 12 2831-2839. 3)"Changing the Picture of Education in America: Communities in Schools Spring 2014 Impact Report" (2014) 4) USDA (2015). "Food Security Status of U.S. Households in 2015" 5) Feeding America (2016). "Map the Meal Gap 2016" 7) Gunders, Dana (2012). "Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill" 8) Feeding America (ND), "Food Waste In America"

Central Virginia Alliance for Community Living, Inc. (CVACL) envisions a community where all individuals, regardless of age or disability, maintain independence, dignity, equal rights, and a meaningful life based on their own personal choices. The organization will actively engage in the mission of supporting older adults and adults with disabilities to live in accordance with these principles.

OUR MISSION IS TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS THROUGH POVERTY ALLEVIATION, ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION AND PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.

To influence and embrace all-inclusive development initiatives by incorporating youths, men, women, people living with disabilities and people with special needs through education, sports, health, networking, and partnerships.