Q & A
Updated 10-22-07
TESTIMONIALS
Testimonials 2007
Prior to 2007
What is FRB?
Foods Resource Bank (FRB) is a Christian, non-government, humanitarian organization committed to providing food security in the developing world through sustainable small-scale agricultural production, thereby allowing hungry people to know the dignity and pride of feeding themselves. Member organizations are Christian denominations and/or their relief and development agencies. Additional supporting organizations provide inputs for food security and/or advocacy. Revenues to support sustainable food security programs are generated through U.S. community growing projects involving landowners, farmers, agribusinesses, and churches.
· FRB works on behalf of its members to mobilize and increase the resources needed for food security projects. Cash resources are provided to the member organizations of FRB. These members work with their in-country partners worldwide to implement assistance. All overseas programming is the responsibility of FRB's member organizations who propose, implement, monitor, complete, and report on the programs. In this way, FRB avoids infrastructure costs while taking advantage of members’ long-term presence and experience overseas.
· FRB provides a common mechanism and structure of support services, facilitation and communications for its contributing members and their in-country partners.
· All FRB assistance is provided in accordance with the principles of the International Humanitarian Code of Conduct.
What is FRB's mission?
· Foods Resource Bank seeks to engage the grassroots agricultural community, along with individuals, churches and urban communities, to grow solutions to hunger problems in our world.
· FRB seeks to participate in helping to alleviate hunger throughout our world by working to establish food security through sustainable development activities. Food security is achieved "when all persons at all times have the physical and economic access to enough food to provide the nutrients they need for productive, active and healthy lives."
How does FRB achieve this mission?
· Forming a coalition of mission-minded farmers and agricultural business people, supported monetarily by caring individuals, churches, and communities.
· Developing and implementing plans to produce and provide an effective supply of new resources. These resources are used for food security programs proposed by member organizations, and consummated through proven in-country partners.
What is the difference between "projects" and "programs?"
In FRB's parlance, a "project" is a U.S.-based growing project; a "program" is what do overseas.
What is your concept for raising resources?
Resources are derived from donations of agricultural or food commodities, or cash, through:
· Farmer/community growing projects
· Gifts of grain from individual farms
· Church/community fundraising efforts
· Support from the agribusiness community and other local businesses
· Donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies
This concept ensures an effective mechanism and structure to provide vital resources to FRB imembers and their proven in-country partners.
The most successful way to raise new resources and create a sense of community excitement has been through community growing projects.
What is a community growing project ?
A community growing project is a unique and rewarding way for people to contribute grain and other agricultural commodities to Foods Resource Bank.
A typical project involves a group of people getting together to farm a common plot of land. Once harvested, the crop is sold and proceeds are donated to Foods Resource Bank for use in the food aid and development programs carried out by our members overseas.
Organizing a successful community growing project takes a committed group of volunteers, some land, some creative fundraising and publicity, and lots of good, honest work!
Despite the challenges, community growing projects have tremendous benefits. You'll feel a sense of achievement and build community spirit. You'll gain a new appreciation for farming, learn about food security issues and work together with many others to achieve a common goal.
Most important, you will help thousands of hungry people throughout the world to feed themselves and their families by using your talents and encouraging others to contribute their talents as well.
What shall we grow?
The choice is entirely up to you. If you're willing to share, we're willing to utilize the resources you provide to implement smallholder, sustainable, agricultural food security programs, through our members, in some of the world's poorest communities.
Climate, crop rotation, availability of seed and the value you'll get on delivery will help you determine what to grow. In the Midwest, corn and soybeans are the most popular, but we've also had pumpkins, ornamental gourds and shrubs, hay, winter wheat, popcorn, beef cattle, dairy models, swine-feeding, even honey production! Any saleable commodity is an option.
How can we finance a project?
There is more than one way to finance a community growing project.
Some groups choose to solicit cash donations and pay for everything up front. Others encourage donations of land, products or services. Either one of these options, or a combination or both, is appropriate and effective.
Rural communities have the land, equipment, and farm management, but in today's farm economy, may be short on cash. City churches or civic groups can financially back a project but have no land. "Twinning" these groups together allows both to share their talents and resources.
Don't be shy about asking for support. You'd be surprised how much local people and businesses want to help when you tell them about what you are doing. In the past, groups have received donations of:
· seed
· fertilizer & chemicals
· food/refreshments
· free labor
· trucking & fuel
· machinery
· lumber for field signs
What happens after harvest?
After your crop is harvested, you will need to deliver it to a grain elevator company, or sell it on the open market through your usual channels.
We recommend you call Foods Resource Bank when your crop is planted. Keeping us informed of your progress is a good idea and we will be able to give you guidance. You should also check with the elevator manager to ensure space is available and your delivery can be accommodated. A strong relationship with your elevator manager is important. Try to involve your local elevator manager as a part of your team wherever possible.
Filling out a donation form, available through FRB, helps us follow your intentions as to how your growing project would like to us to use the funds.
What happens to the grain or other agricultural commodities?
The grain and other commodities must be monetized (sold, converted to cash), with the proceeds going to FRB. It would be tremendously expensive to ship the grain from the Midwest to a port city, then overseas, and then get it to hungry people We feed more people if we source the grain as close to the need as possible. Plus, as Christians, we need to make certain we don't place U.S. grain on an emerging in-country agriculture and squash their initiative. Many of FRB's overseas food security programs are now in a position to market grain or other vegetables, but they have no market if food is being given away for free in their own countries.
FRB uses the proceeds to purchase seed, tools, fertilizer, wells, drip irrigation, small herd animals, etc., to help people to grow their own food, feeding themselves, their families, their most vulnerable community members (women, children, the elderly, and AIDS patients and orphans), with enough extra to share, barter or sell to be able to purchase basic medicines and staples and send their children to school.
What are the objectives of the local community which sponsors a growing project?
To form a local community sponsoring group which will have the responsibility for all local FRB activities. These include:
· Providing local leadership to identify and raise needed resources
· Organizing a growing project by securing the annual use of land, farmers to farm the land, inputs (seed, fertilizer, etc.), and an elevator to market the crop.
· Encouraging farmers not involved in the growing project to donate grain from their individual farms at the designated growing project elevator.
· Evaluating community resources to determine if some other agricultural commodity (milk, cattle, poultry, vegetables, honey ... the list is endless!) would be more suitable as the basis for a growing project
· Increasing local awareness and interest in the project and in the issues surrounding world hunger
· Involving a wide range of community talents and resources
· Planning for a Harvest Day or a Harvest Dedication/Celebration
Do the resources actually get to the people who need them?
FRB member organizations have established networks of in-country partners who have the proven capacity and experience to professionally implement food security programs, maintain accountability, and provide FRB resources to people in need. FRB avoids infrastructure costs by taking advantage of members’ long-term presence and experience overseas.
How much of the cash generated by a growing project goes for overhead?
Long-term, FRB is committed to keeping its operational and administration costs below 10% of the total annual program value. In addition, it is important to note that these FRB operational costs are raised from separate cash contributions provided by its members and other donors, and are contained within a separate operational budget.
Thus, at present, 100% of the grain provided by FRB growing projects goes toward supporting the FRB hunger and food security programs of its members and their in-country partners.
Is this just another hunger and relief program?
Immediately working to solve hunger is the necessary part of any program. But hunger alleviation alone can lead to dependence. FRB programs are designed to be up to 25% hunger relief if needed in an emergency, and 75% - 100% food security. What is "food security?" Two words that mean "helping people feed themselves" so that they can be food secure and know the dignity and pride of feeding their own families.
How do you implement food security?
Education, training, seed, tools, fertilizer, composting, raised beds, drip irrigation, wells, good harvesting, storage, preserving. Just imagine if you had no supermarket or grocery store and an acre of land: what would you need?
How are the proceeds of a growing project assigned within FRB?
At the discretion of the local growing project committee, all proceeds are distributed in one of three ways:
· Each member organization has its own account within FRB. You may assign all or part of your project's proceeds to a Member Account. For example, if your church denomination or its relief and development agency is an FRB member, it will have an account that can receive the proceeds of your growing project.
· Member organizations may have a Site-Specific Account for countries in which they are sponsoring an FRB-approved program. Information on these locations is available on our website under "Overseas Programs" and you can use the "search" option to find which programs are led or supported by your denomination. Local growing project committees may choose to designate their proceeds to such an account.
· Project proceeds can be assigned to the FRB Program Account. Monies in this account will be used to augment a member's future site-specific program. This fund may be used when a member identifies a need, but may require additional funding to initiate or complete a project.
All hunger and food security programs (programs to help people feed themselves) are proposed, initiated, monitored, completed, and reported on by FRB's member organizations..
Why should we get involved?
When you start a program like this, everyone thinks about the recipients and how they will be helped. Assisting hungry people to become self sufficient is, of course, the main concern of FRB, its members, and it growing project communities. However, the involved congregations and communities are equally blessed!
Many small rural churches or communities, interested in mission but constrained by lack of cash resources, suddenly find that, just doing what they do best, with financial backing from city churches or civic groups, they are able to contribute many thousands of dollars to FRB's overseas programs! The farm communities relish the opportunity to show their way of life to urban or suburban people who may have little experience or knowledge of what it takes to grow food. Rural-urban connections, lost over the last 75 years, are renewed. Church denominations whose buildings are side by side but who have never worked together, find a common passion in helping hungry people feed themselves. FRB growing project communities are often re-invigorated by working together in this way.
People want to do more than write a check and wonder what happens to it. This project gives you a chance to see and touch, to get personally involved. The farmer, while perhaps short on cash, gives a gift only he or she can give: land, equipment, time, and management of the growing project. Agri-business has a chance to honor those who keep them in business. City dwellers, while short on land and seed, can financially back the project. Each gives of his/her individual gifts and talents to fulfill Jesus' words from his first sermon: "I have come to bring good news to the poor."
Will our project make a difference?
All donations, no matter what the size, allow our members to carry out effective programs that work. Hungry people who participat in Foods Resource Bank's overseas programs survive on much less than the average person living in the developed world. Although we do not ship grain, for reference purposes please note that:
· one ton of grain will feed 2,250 people for a day
· 1 bushel of corn will feed 65 people for one day
· $100 cash will help feed a family of five for three months
We take seriously the trust you place in us. All programs and funds are carefully monitored by our member organizations. They are administered through reputable and known agencies. These in-country partners have a proven track record of administering programs and are committed to helping people feed themselves.
Whether it's providing emergency food rations to alleviate hunger during a disaster; using food as wages to rehabilitate and revitalize local communities; or turning food into money (monetization) to support sustainable food security programs that have a direct on the lives of hungry people, we've seen the good that can come from following Jesus' directive to "Feed my sheep."