Make a Difference

This picture, created by a child of the Nativity Church congregation, shows how these projects impact the personal development of our youth.

The Church and School Development Department helps churches, schools, and community organizations identify projects in need of funding and support in countries served by Food For The Poor in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Projects can range in size and scope, but the primary focus is to provide an opportunity for community building through participation in a service project on behalf of the poor. These projects go beyond mere fundraising because they engage the group in a learning endeavor that allows children and adults to receive valuable lessons about another culture, and to build relationships with another country that often last a lifetime.

Church of the Nativity, in Burke, VA, began a partnership with Food For The Poor in 1998 that has resulted in over $1.6 million going towards the development of Nativity Village in Cap Haitien, Haiti. Funding began with congregation members donating their pocket change through the Operation Starfish® program.

The Church of the Nativity in Burke, Virginia has partnered with Food For The Poor since 1988 with a focus on helping the poor in Haiti — the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. During this time, the congregation has raised enough funds to cover the costs of building an entire village for the poor, called Nativity Village, and located in Cap Haitien, Haiti. As a result of their involvement, 250 families live in sturdy homes and benefit from agricultural and clean water projects. The church embarked on building its second village on the border of Dominican Republic and Haiti in 2007.

Church of the Nativity parishioners have traveled to Haiti to visit the village on Pilgrimages with Food For The Poor. Children of the congregation learn about the poor and the Nativity Village project in their Sunday School lessons.

The Nativity Village project began with a simple idea: if everyone in the congregation would donate a small amount — their pocket change, for example — each day during Lent, it would yield a remarkable result. This is how the Operation Starfish® methodology for fundraising began. This easy to administer program is used by churches throughout the country on behalf of Food For The Poor.

The most important thing for you to know is that the Church and School department will work personally with your organization. We will ascertain your interests and help you identify the scope of the project. Then we will work closely with you to develop a project plan and timetable, identify fundraising goals, involve key people, and promote involvement within your organization — including providing supplementary support literature and the opportunity to hear a Food For The Poor speaker at your organization.

For more information please visit the various links on this page and fill out our contact form to have a CSD project coordinator contact you, or email us at churchschool@foodforthepoor.org.

Click here to download a two-page flyer on how to conduct an Operation Starfish® campaign at your organization.