Blog - Feeding The Nations

Kenya: Healthy Smiles and Sustainable Gifts

April 25, 2017 by Feeding the Nations

Every day, we feed over 1,000 children in a slum school and a remote village of Kenya. Thanks to our Finland office, we have maintained this program to serve Mikindani Nursery, Jimba Primary and Living Word Primary Schools, so that 1,022 students not only receive important nutrition, but have the opportunity to attend school, play with friends and remain healthy.

“The children of Star of Hope Kenya send their deepest gratitude to Feeding the Nation (FTN) Finland and all well-wishers for supporting a balanced diet for their healthy growth and development,” a recent report from Star of Hope Kenya said. “You have continued to make it possible for these children to actively participate in school activities after taking the 10 o’clock porridge and the 12 noon lunch. This has made their afternoon nap a comfortable one and the afternoon lessons lively. Because of you, our children have a healthy smile.”

In addition to the food, we also gave four goats to help grow their sustainable farm program—a program that is growing on its own thanks to the birth of nine piglets! The farm now has eight goats, four cattle, eight pigs and nine piglets.

“The children and staff at Star of Hope Kenya would like to thank FTN Finland for your generous contribution towards our sustainability projects,” the report continued. “Now they are multiplying at our farm in Mikindani which means our children will benefit even more from this project.

“A BIG THANK YOU to FTN Finland for your awesome support throughout the years. You have made it possible to keep a needy child healthy and active during their time in school. Thank you for making a difference in our community.”

Thank you to all who joined with us to make this feeding program and donation of farm animals possible. When we work together, we can bless even more children with healthy smiles. Please donate today.

#TRI2FEED: Another Week

April 21, 2017 by Feeding the Nations

This week my training for the Ironman 70.3 triathlon continues. More importantly, so does hunger and starvation for millions of people around the world. The whole point of my competing in an Ironman 70.3 triathlon is to help these people. Whether they face drought, extreme poverty, tsunamis, earthquakes, wars, hurricanes or any other type of extreme challenge to their survival, Feeding The Nations wants to help.

We may never meet 99.99 percent of the people FTN reaches and neither will you. One of the people we helped in the past we refer to as, “the girl in the white dress.” Maybe you have seen her picture in one of our past mailings or social media posts. She is a little Haitian girl who you and I helped when she needed it most. She had just survived one of Haiti’s recent natural disasters and was fed by one of our partners on the ground in Haiti.

Today let us focus on kids and families, the elderly and the refugee who need people to help them. They need people to donate. Donations change lives like the life of a little Haitian girl in a white dress. Please join me by donating today, so we can help people in need whom we most likely will never meet.

Simply click the button below and choose “#TRI2FEED Ironman Triathlon.”

Or, text your donation. Text the dollar amount you wish to give to 28950 and designate “ftnkids.” You’ll then be prompted to provide your credit card and contact information.

Zambia: Making 10,000 Children Dance

April 13, 2017 by Feeding the Nations

There was great joy and dancing in the streets when our partners in Zambia pulled up to schools and orphanages to distribute containers of food. They delivered 850,000+ meals in 2016—enough food to carry them into 2017.

“We are looking forward to a new season and what can be accomplished in 2017,” a recent update said. “We really appreciate your prayers and continued support. There is a huge need here to get these children a well-balanced nutritious meal.”

We have been committed to feeding thousands of children in Zambia each day for several years now. We thank everyone who has joined with us to make this possible. Help us continue this mission and others like it by clicking the button below:

#TRI2FEED: The Day the Fins Came Off

April 11, 2017 by Feeding the Nations

Whether you were 6 or 26, eventually you had to learn to ride your bike without training wheels. It is always a monumental day of growing up in a young kid’s life—time of excitement, apprehension and a rite of passage. Training wheels have a multi-faceted purpose: balance, added security and they can help to grow leg strength. All of these things are what a young biker needs to succeed.

For a swimmer, “training wheels” are fins. They help to develop good balance, offer a sense of security and they can be used to build strength. Recently I heard some dreaded words from my swim coach, “Let’s take the fins off and see how you do.” I knew this day was coming and knew that if I want to be an Ironman, I need to get past this time of transition to no fins.

A lot of times when kids take their training wheels off, it is inevitable that they fall, get some scrapes and maybe some bruises. Well for me, it was a mouth and sinus full of water and the feeling that I was back at day 1 for my swimming. Eventually I started breathing air instead of water after making some adjustments to my alignment. What a relief! Jokingly my coach said, “Look, you can swim.” Ironman 70.3 triathlon, here I come! Well, it’s a good thing I still have 17 weeks to hone my skills and build endurance.

As you follow my training and trials, please consider joining me in the goal of feeding 685 kids with 2 meals a day for a year. It seems like a big number, but together we can do it. I leave you with this challenge from Mother Teresa, “If you can’t feed 100 people then just feed 1.” Do it today!

Simply click the button below and choose “#TRI2FEED Ironman Triathlon.”

Or, text your donation. Text the dollar amount you wish to give to 28950 and designate “ftnkids.” You’ll then be prompted to provide your credit card and contact information.

Haiti: Continuing Our School Meal Program

April 7, 2017 by Feeding the Nations

Over the past few years, we have helped feed thousands of children in Haiti on a daily basis thanks to our long-standing partnership with Fishers of Men Ministries in Port au Prince, Haiti. In 2016, we sent multiple shipments of rice/vegetable meals that were distributed to 6,000 children each day in 24 schools and orphanages throughout Haiti.

The food is making a difference! Just take a look at this letter from Fedrique Tarjette, missions director for FOMM:

Thank you for helping us to feed children and families in Haiti and making the lives of the people of the nation better.

Some of Haiti’s poorest population live on less than $1 a day, while about 80% of the country lives on less than $2 a day. The country’s estimated unemployment rate as of 2010 was 40.6%. In Haiti 90% of the schools are private schools. These are very diverse in terms of quality, focus and resources, and are run by religious organizations, non-governmental organizations or for-profit institutions. Being privately owned, these schools usually require payment of tuition fees. Along with the cost of transportation, books and the mandatory uniforms, it is very difficult financially for Haitians to send their children to school.

FOMM has been able to provide daily meals in 24 private schools all throughout the nation. With parents already struggling to provide for their families in other aspects of life, it is also difficult for them to provide the adequate meals needed in order for their children to receive the proper nutrition. This issue of nutrition in turn affects the students’ ability to successfully obtain a proper education. With the help of the FTN (Feeding The Nations) school meal program, we are able to not only boost the students’ motivation in school and, therefore, improve their learning abilities, but also are able to boost the morale of the school staff and the parents as well.

Thank you to everyone who joined with us to make this school meal program possible. Help us continue this mission and others like it by clicking the button below:

Kenya: Healthy Smiles and Sustainable Gifts

#TRI2FEED: Another Week

Zambia: Making 10,000 Children Dance

#TRI2FEED: The Day the Fins Came Off

Haiti: Continuing Our School Meal Program

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