RESPONDING TO NEED. REBUILDING LIVES. MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER.
On the cover: Children start their day with a nutritious school breakfast through the SHINE program in Haiti. Learn more on page 5.
This annual report shows how your generosity helps families throughout Latin America and the Caribbean in real, everyday ways. Children are fed through school meal programs. Neighborhoods gain access to safe water sources close to home.
We rely on local churches and our trusted partners to help deliver this level of care and you’ll see how each gift received is managed responsibly. And when Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, it’s support like yours that helped deliver food, safe water, and emergency supplies to cut-off communities.
As we look to 2026, our focus remains the same: showing compassion, walking alongside communities, and putting faith into action in practical, life-changing ways.
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Friend in Christ,
This past year reminded us that our mission is not theoretical. It is tested in moments of crisis and proven through partnership.
When Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, entire communities were cut off overnight. Homes were destroyed, families displaced, and access to help was limited. In those critical days, Food For The Poor was called to do what it has been trusted to do for more than four decades: respond quickly, lead responsibly, and serve alongside others with humility and purpose.
Working with trusted partners, Food For The Poor coordinated life-saving deliveries by air and land, ensuring aid reached even the most isolated communities. What followed was not only an emergency response, but also a demonstration of our longstanding commitment to stand with communities as they move from crisis toward recovery.
Today, the work in Jamaica continues. We have transitioned from emergency relief into long-term rebuilding, leveraging local relationships and donor partnerships to help families rebuild with dignity and resilience.
Across Latin America and the Caribbean, Food For The Poor continues to walk alongside families and communities by responding to urgent needs while investing in long-term solutions that restore dignity and create opportunity. Our work extends far beyond emergency response.
Together with our supporters, we remain committed to addressing the underlying causes of poverty through sustainable programs in housing, food security, clean water, healthcare, education, and livelihoods. By strengthening communities at the local level, we aim not only to meet immediate needs, but to help families build safer, healthier, and more resilient futures.
Your generosity made this work possible. Together, we are not only responding to today’s crises, but we are also helping shape a more resilient tomorrow. Thank you for living out your faith through action as we continue this vital work in 2026 and beyond.
United in God’s work,
Ed Raine President/CEO
Following Hurricane Melissa, Ed Raine, president/ ceo of Food For The Poor, visits with children at the Crawford Primary School in the heavily damaged St. Elizabeth Parish in Jamaica.
2025 PARTNERSHIP ACHIEVEMENTS
Food For The Poor believes that strong partnerships spark innovation and expand what is possible. By working together with global organizations, we combine strengths, share expertise, and open new pathways to address complex needs. Through these collaborative efforts, we create sustainable, long lasting solutions that deliver meaningful change for vulnerable communities.
Heart to Heart International
In 2025, our nearly 19-year-partnership with Heart to Heart International continued to strengthen health access across Latin America and the Caribbean. Together, we completed 19 shipments valued at over $10.25 million, delivering medical supplies and pharmaceuticals to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Haiti. During Hurricane Melissa, Heart to Heart also provided close to 35,000 relief kits, including 27,000 for Jamaica and 7,800 for the Dominican Republic, greatly supporting emergency response.
Additional assistance provided in 2025 included 3,600 hygiene kits for Haiti via a humanitarian air bridge and 18,000 oral rehydration packets for Honduras, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to lifesaving care.
Feed My Starving
Our longstanding partnership and continued collaboration with Feed My Starving Children ensured that millions of nutritious meals reached children and families most in need. Food For The Poor provided over 207.9 million meals in 2024 and 100.9 million in the first half of 2025, freeing local partners to invest in education, health, and community programs instead of food sourcing.
Ahmarah, 3
Signing Partnership In 2025
The National Commercial Bank (NCB Jamaica) Foundation formalized a national partnership with Food For The Poor Jamaica and other key organizations through the Building a Better Jamaica Fund 2.0, mobilizing over $500 million for hurricane recovery. Food For The Poor served as an executing partner, delivering food, WASH kits, and emergency relief to impacted communities across Jamaica.
Water Mission
“ Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me."
(Matthew 25:40, niv)
With Water Mission, we expanded long-term, safe water solutions in Honduras and Mexico. Working alongside local communities, we transitioned from emergency treatment systems to permanent infrastructure, training residents in hygiene and water management. These efforts reduced waterborne illnesses and strengthened community resilience in areas devastated by past hurricanes. ◆
From left to right: Olga Isaza, UNICEF Jamaica Representative; Mark Khouri, Food For The Poor’s evp & chief operating officer; Caron Chung, executive director of American Friends of Jamaica; Michael Capponi, founder and president of Global Empowerment Mission; Bruce Bowen, chief executive officer of N.C.B. Jamaica; and Thalia Lyn, chair of the N.C.B. Foundation during the signing of the memorandum of understanding to scale emergency relief for children and families affected by Hurricane Melissa.
Monte Largo, Honduras
2025 HIGHLIGHTS
In 2025, your generosity continued to strengthen communities in profound ways. Through your support, families gained stability, opportunities expanded, and hope grew, laying the groundwork for lasting transformation in the lives of those we serve.
Iconic Latin American Entertainers Join Food For The Poor
Latin American icons Angélica María and Angélica Vale joined Food For The Poor as Brand Ambassadors in October 2025. By leveraging their influential platforms to advocate for vulnerable children, this internationally adored, one-of-a-kind motherdaughter duo and icons throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America have already significantly elevated Food For The Poor’s visibility within the Hispanic community. Following a successful December radiothon, more than 440 children have been sponsored through the Angels Of Hope program. The campaign remains ongoing with a goal of reaching 2,200 total sponsorships by August.
During 2025, Food For The Poor-brand ambassadors Angélica María and her daughter, Angélica Vale, visited Angels Of Hope donor-sponsored homes in Guatemala and Mexico.
SHINE Haiti
Breakfast Program
Food For The Poor’s SHINE (Strengthening Hope through Inclusive Nutrition and Education) program provides a nutritious breakfast to children in northern Haiti, and is made possible by generous donors whose compassion is changing lives.
SHINE serves 10,000 students in 29 schools while strengthening local livelihoods by sourcing 100 percent of ingredients locally, supporting 600 farmers, and creating more than 700 jobs. For World Food Day on October 16, 2025, a donor funded half of the annual cost, and the campaign matched the rest. Continued fundraising will help us reach 20,000 additional schoolchildren and as support grows, 30,000 students.
2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Operation Starfish / Nativity
In 2025, Nativity Catholic Church in Burke, VA, made history by presenting Food For The Poor with a record $719,290 through its long running Operation Starfish campaign, their largest gift in the 27-year partnership. This landmark donation will build Nativity’s 15th village in Haiti, providing furnished homes complete with water, sanitation, and solar lighting to vulnerable families. It will also fund new health clinics in San Juan, Guaimaca, and Monteverde in Honduras, expanding access to medical care. Food For The Poor leadership described the gift as one of the most significant contributions ever received from a Catholic church.
Father Chuck’s Challenge
For the past 18 years, Monsignor Francis Xavier Schmidt, 94, founder of Father Chuck’s Challenge, has championed this all-volunteer ministry by partnering with Food For The Poor to serve families in Latin America and the Caribbean. Together, we’ve built schools, clinics, fishing villages, income-generating projects, and more than 1,700 homes.
Father Chuck’s Challenge keeps moving forward in memory of Father Charles "Chuck" Pfeffer, and his legacy speaks to all of us: meet the needs of the poor, especially children and young people, and provide them with hope and a chance to stand on their own.
Monsignor Francis Xavier Schmidt accepts the Cornerstone Award, honoring 18 years of faithful, volunteer-led service for families in need through Father Chuck’s Challenge.
Monsignor Bob Cilinski receives Food For The Poor's Cornerstone Award on behalf of Nativity Catholic Church for its decades of service through Operation Starfish.
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
North Broward Prep Fundraising for School in Honduras
Inspired by the book “A Long Walk to Water,” fifth grade students at North Broward Preparatory School in Florida, launched a fundraising campaign that raised $45,000 to build a school in rural Honduras in partnership with Food For The Poor. Their initiative continues the school’s long-standing commitment to global citizenship and service learning. The project grew as 11th grader Christopher Evans stepped in to help close the funding gap—continuing his own history of supporting homes and water wells through Food For The Poor. Students are now raising additional funds for a community water well, proving that meaningful change often begins in the classroom. ◆
United in God's Work
Lisa Struble’s all-woman-led accessories company, BANDED, has provided meals to children through its partnership with Food For The Poor since 2015.
She became BANDED’s owner in 2018 and chose to continue that partnership – one Lisa has come to know and trust through her own experiences in the field.
“When I visit families in villages that are being helped by Food For The Poor, you see such joy, gratitude, and hope,” Lisa shared. “Seeing kids meet healthy weights, go to school, and now talk about what they want to be when they grow up – that’s how it should be for every child regardless of where they are born. That’s what every mother wants— hope for her children’s future.” ◆
Lisa Struble visits with children and the feeding programs in Honduras she supports through her company, BANDED.
North Broward Prep students joyfully celebrate after raising $45,000 to fund a new school in Honduras.
When the Storm Hit
Hurricane Melissa changed life overnight for families across the Caribbean. Roads washed out. Homes were damaged or destroyed. Access to food, clean water, and medical care became difficult, especially for communities already living with very little.
HURRICANE MELISSA | RELIEF
After Hurricane Melissa, Vinnette sat in the rubble of her home in Jamaica. She had sheltered in place, crammed into a small cinderblock room with her family, as the storm destroyed nearly everything they owned. Speaking about Food For The Poor supporters, she said,
“ May God continue to bless them. To guide them and protect them.”
Stepping In Right Away
Food For The Poor acted quickly. Working with local partners, teams delivered emergency food, clean water, and essential supplies. Some communities could only be reached by air or along damaged roads, but long-standing local relationships helped make relief possible.
The Impact Was Widespread
By November 4, 2025, at least 30 communities in Jamaica were still cut off from basic services. Farms were damaged, health centers were overwhelmed, and many families were forced to leave their homes.
More Than Immediate Help
The response did not end with emergency aid. Relief efforts focused on helping families regain stability and access to what they need to move forward.
Your Compassion Made It Possible
Because of generous support, help reached families when it mattered most. And together, the work of rebuilding has already begun. ◆
Jamaica
600,000+ people affected
182 communities impacted
345,000 urgently in need of food
215,000+ buildings damaged
90,000 displaced households
$6-7B in losses (28–32% of GDP)
Haiti
1.4M internally displaced
12,000 homes destroyed
Widespread agricultural and water system damage
Dominican Republic
Thousands impacted by flooding and unsafe water
What HURRICANE MELISSA | RECOVERY
receiving needed supplies.
A mother and her sons in Petersfield, St. Elizabeth, smile upon
Community Recovery
Food For The Poor worked with local churches and community groups to help families meet their most urgent needs and begin rebuilding. The focus was simple: help families feel safe, stable, and supported again.
What Families Needed Most
Recovery efforts are centered around four essentials:
Safe housing, clean water, food, and ways to earn a living.
Families continue to receive help repairing homes, restoring water systems, and getting food while farms and businesses recover.
Strengthening Communities for the Future
Recovery is not just about fixing what was broken. It is about helping communities prepare for future disasters. By working with trusted local partners, Food For The Poor is helping families rebuild stronger and feel more confident about their futures. ◆
RECOVERY at a glance
What our recovery effort continues to focus on:
Repairing homes, schools, and community buildings so families can live and learn safely.
Restoring clean water systems for reliable drinking water.
Helping farmers and small business owners restart work with tools and supplies.
Providing food support while families rebuild income.
The result:
Reopening schools and community spaces to restore daily routines.
Families are regaining stability and a clear path forward after the storm.
FOCUSED ON MEANINGFUL PROGRESS
Support through our 10 focus areas brings urgent relief to families in need while empowering them toward selfsufficiency, partnering with diverse organizations to fight poverty and hunger with compassion, efficiency, and respect for human dignity.
1. Hunger Relief & Nutrition
Through a partnership with the Government of Taiwan, Food For The Poor distributed rice to families in Haiti facing severe hunger. In El Salvador, the FUSAL Early Childhood Nutrition Program provided medical care, vitamins, and food support to young children at risk of malnutrition and anemia.
2. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)
In Aricaporo, Colombia, the Safe Drinking Water for Aricaporo project is restoring access to clean water for local families. A deep well and solar-powered treatment system, along with hygiene training, will help protect health and prevent waterborne illness.
3. Agriculture & Food Security
In Cotopaxi, Ecuador, Food For The Poor partnered with CODESPA to support farming families through the Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihoods project. Farmers improved income, expanded production, and accessed new markets— helping families grow food, earn income, and plan for the future.
4. Community Development
In Villas La Concordia, Honduras, a community development project helped families work together to improve daily life. Leadership training, family gardens, education planning, and skills mapping supported residents as they strengthened their community and created shared solutions.
5. Education
Across Latin America and the Caribbean access to education remains a proven method to help eradicate poverty. In Colombia, the Santa Cecilia Boarding School Remodeling and Expansion project improved classrooms, student housing, and learning spaces. New facilities, furniture, and supplies are helping students and teachers learn in a safer, more supportive environment.
6. Economic Empowerment
Through the Indigenous Women Artisans: Local Market Access project in Guatemala, Food For The Poor partnered with Mercado Global to help women artisans gain business training, tools, and access to local markets— allowing them to earn income and support their families.
7. Health
In El Salvador, Food For The Poor supported the Pediatric Oncology Program led by the Ayúdame a Vivir Foundation. Funding helps provide nursing care, nutrition, and palliative support so children with cancer can receive life-saving treatment with dignity.
8. Emergency Preparedness & Response
Following Hurricane Melissa, Food For The Poor led one of the largest emergency responses in its history. Shipments of food, water, medical supplies, and shelter materials reached families across Jamaica through strong logistics and partner coordination.
9. Outreach to Vulnerable Groups
In Haiti, the Canteen Program and Community Recovery Nutrition (CRN) Program supported families facing severe hunger and health risks. Meals, food kits, and nutrition care helped children, mothers, and high-risk individuals stay healthier, regain strength, and feel seen, supported, and valued.
10. Child Well-Being
Through the Angels Of Hope program, Food For The Poor supported children living in group homes across Latin America and the Caribbean. Regular deliveries of food, hygiene items, and basic supplies help children live in safe, caring, and stable environments.
When Faith Becomes Home CUCUYAGUA, HONDURAS
The first time
In Honduras, families were living under fragile roofs without reliable water, electricity or the stability every child deserves. From the parish halls of Indiana, one question rose like a quiet prayer: Can we help rewrite this story? The answer came quickly. Over 18 months, parishioners united to raise $1 million for Sustainable Community Development.
In Vida Nueva, the community built with St. Mary’s support, that commitment is already transforming lives. Among the families experiencing this transformation is Gladis, a 28-year-old mother of four. For years, she sheltered her children in a structure made of cardboard and plastic, where each rainfall brought fear as floodwaters swept through their home. Yet she held onto hope that one day her children would have a safe place to grow.
That hope became reality through the development initiative supported by St. Mary’s and implemented with Food For The Poor, bringing new homes, clean water, electricity and opportunity to families like hers.
“ You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5, niv)
St. Mary’s parish in Greensburg, Indiana, heard about Cucuyagua, they knew they were called to help.
Turning hope into new possibilities
For Gladis, the transformation has been life changing. “We wake up in peace now,” she shares. “My children bathe, have breakfast, and go to school without fear.” Her favorite place is the dining table, where her family gathers to share meals and the sense of stability they longed for. With rent no longer draining their income, Gladis can finally invest in her children’s education and build toward the future she has always envisioned. And she has dreams for herself, too. Gladis hopes to start a small bakery business.
St. Mary's Parish volunteer, Tom Ricke, took part in the groundbreaking for the new community in Cucuyagua, Honduras, during their mission trip to support the homes they helped fund.
A community rising together
Beyond the walls of 53 new homes, Vida Nueva is becoming a community defined by solidarity; neighbors supporting one another, friendships forming naturally, and a sense of safety many families had never known. The new air conditioned community center has become a hub of growth, offering training and hosting food sales that bring families together.
St. Mary’s parish helped send more than funding. They also organized a tractor-trailer of donated goods: clothing, bicycles, spare parts, and physical therapy equipment, offering families practical resources for rebuilding their lives.
Today, construction continues, and the sounds of progress fill the community of 212 residents. With Food For The Poor accompanying St. Mary’s, Cucuyagua is no longer defined by scarcity, but by the hope it is building, generation by generation. ◆
Left to right: Natalie 8, Josué 4, Ariel 10, Gladis 28, and Samuel 2. Vida Nueva, Cucuyagua.
Cristel, 9
2025 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
1,974,901
10,574,622
58,747,639
3,052,176
10,336,982
13,389,158
45,358,481
58,747,639 Year ended December 31, 2025. Subject to final audit. *Includes donated goods, cash grants, and cash purchases.
AID DISTRIBUTED IN 2025
2,155 tractor-trailers worth $394 million
Colombia
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
$1,133,754
$19,770,911
$1,575,591
$7,353,706
$238,976,048
$7,482,164
$37,199,597
Honduras $34,902,340
Trinidad & Tobago $8,160,866
United States $382,040
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William G. Benson
Certified Public Accountant
Chairman
P. Todd Kennedy, Esq.
Tax and Estate Planning Attorney
Vice Chairman
Linda Coello
Founder and President of CEPUDO, Honduras
The Right Reverend Leopold Frade, D.D.
3rd Bishop of Southeast Florida, Res.
Ministerios Nuestras Pequeñas Rosas
Gail Hamaty-Bird, Esq.
EVP/General Counsel/Secretary
Dennis A. North, CPA
Treasurer
Rhonda Maingot
Missionary, Living Water Community
Cardinal Óscar Andrés
Rodríguez Maradiaga, S.D.B.
Archbishop Emeritus of Tegucigalpa, Honduras
The Most Rev. Burchell A. McPherson, D.D.
Bishop Emeritus
Diocese of Montego Bay, Jamaica
Dr. Lynne G Nasrallah, Ed. D. Professor of Counseling
