Why join the Beans & Rice Challenge November 12-16? Because of kids like these:

Each year, we feed thousands of children around the world by sending millions of rice/vegetable meals to schools and orphanages.

These sorts of meal programs offer a multitude of benefits:

• Much-needed food.
• Motivation for kids to attend school instead of being forced into child labor, human trafficking or food scavenging.
• Full bellies that allow the kids to better focus on learning.
• Nutrition for improved growth and overall health.
• Hope for the future.

By taking part in the Beans & Rice Challenge, you can make a difference in the lives of hungry children around the world. And you don’t even need to leave your kitchen.

For five days, we ask you to forgo your typical fare and instead eat beans and rice for one to three meals a day. Then we ask you to donate the money you save. Whether it’s $20 or more for the entire week, every little bit matters when it comes to the cause of feeding the hungry around the world.

We know you probably have a few questions, so here are some FAQs to help you get started:

How do I take part?

Simply commit to setting aside one to three meals a day from Monday, November 12 through Friday, November 16 to consume beans and rice instead of your typical meal.

What do I give?

Figure out what you would typically spend on those meals. Then figure your rice and beans cost. Donate the difference at this link or choose whatever amount you see fit. Remember, $1 can provide 20 meals, so every bit matters!

Are only beans and rice allowed? Can we add anything else to the dish?

In the interest of walking a mile in another person’s shoes, we prefer that you keep the dishes simple. But, there are no rules. We do have a collection of recipes on Pinterest. While we tried to choose simple fares, they do include some seasonings and spices.

Can I eat beans and rice for more than just one meal?

We appreciate your enthusiasm! Choose as many meals as you’d like to participate.

How can I stay connected?

Follow us on Pinterest to find recipes for your five-day challenge. Stay up-to-date with us on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. Sign-up for our email list to receive updates along the way.

Is there a hashtag?

YES! Use #mybeansandrice on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to join the conversation. Share recipes, photos of your meals, quotes, inspiration and more.

Commit to joining with us today. Mark your calendar now. Post a link to this page on Facebook and challenge your friends and family take part. Make it a learning experience for your kids. Together we can make a difference. Together we can feed nations of hungry people.

Show your support for the Beans & Rice Challenge by sporting the t-shirt! 👕 This shirt is available to anyone who donates $25 or more.

When you donate, choose “Beans & Rice Challenge” in the gift designation field and select your shirt size (adult S, M, L, XL or XXL; youth S, M or L). Please note: only one shirt per donation of $25 or more.

You don’t have to wait for the challenge to end! Click here to donate and order your shirt today: https://feedingthenations.org/one-time-gift/

During the Beans & Rice Challenge October 16-20, we are asking people to join with us in eating like others do, to “walk a mile in another man’s shoes,” to eat for a week from someone else’s bowl. For five days, we ask you to forgo your typical fare and instead eat beans and rice for one to three meals a day. Then we ask you to donate the money you save. Whether it’s $20 or more for the entire week, every little bit matters when it comes to the cause of feeding hungry people around the world.

So, why should you join the challenge? Because together we are feeding refugees, including families who have fled Iraq. The following is a thank you letter we received from one of our partners who is on-the-ground, helping feed these refugees:

I have been here working with children and women coming out of ISIS as sex slaves. We will soon be finished building a safe house for 28 of these women. Also we will have a sewing factory with a program for 50 ladies.

The situation here is close to starvation. I hear stories of families of 12 sharing one egg a day. I have lived among this people now for several months and have seen the desperation and the hunger.

When we received the gift from FTN, we wanted to target the widows and the orphans. Out of all that suffers, they are the ones that suffer most.

These families are living through the unimaginable. But when we join together to be Christ’s hands and feet, we can make a difference in their lives. We can give them food, hope and the love of Christ.

Need more reasons to join the Beans & Rice challenge? Try  these 10:

10) Hunger is the number one cause of death in the world, killing more people than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

9) Just $1 can provide 20 meals for hungry children.

8) 1 in 9 people on our planet go to bed hungry each night.

7) Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under the age of five. That’s 3.1 million children each year.

6) Because you have a stocked pantry at home.

5) “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you.” ~Deuteronomy 16:17

4) Nearly half of the world’s population lives on less than $2.50 a day. That’s more than 3 billion people who, each day, try to survive on the cost of a medium fast food milk shake.

3) “Never be so busy as not to think of others.” ~Mother Teresa

2) One out of six children—roughly 100 million—in developing countries is underweight.

1) “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” ~Matthew 25:35

Commit to joining with us, and challenge your friends and family to take part by sharing this page via social media. Follow us on Pinterest to find recipes for your five-day challenge. Stay up-to-date with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Together we can make a difference. Together we can feed nations of hungry people.

For more information, take a look at these frequently asked questions.

*Source for some statistics: WFP and https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-global-poverty

We’ve all heard the expression to “walk a mile in another man’s shoes.” But what if we ate for a week from someone else’s bowl?

Someone like Zoré Issouf.

Issouf is an orphan living in Burkina Faso. Issouf comes from a family with eight siblings. His father died because of alcohol. The children were left to a younger uncle who also began to drink heavily and died a few years later. Issouf’s sisters were forced to get married and the other brothers are doing small jobs in the village.

Right now, nearly half of the world’s population lives on less than $2.50 a day*. That’s more than 3 billion people who, each day, try to survive on the cost of a medium fast food milk shake.

Do you know the difference $2 can make? It can provide 40 meals to hungry people around the world.

Most of us who are reading this right now have stocked refrigerators and pantries in our homes and at our disposal. We have the option to cook our own dinner tonight or grab something when we leave the office. We don’t know what it’s like to live outside abundance and availability.

And, that’s exactly why we created the Beans & Rice Challenge. On October 16-20 (only five days), we ask you to forgo your typical fare and instead eat beans and rice for at least one meal a day, or more if you so choose. Then we ask you to donate the money you save.

Tally up what a typical week’s worth of meals costs, figure your beans and rice cost, and then donate the difference. Whether it’s $20, $120 or more for the entire week, every little bit matters when it comes to the cause of feeding the hungry around the world.

This challenge isn’t only about partnering with us to change lives. It’s also about walking in the shoes of people around the world who live with a lack of food on a daily basis. This is about actively choosing to better understand the plight of many around the world, including Issouf.

Eight years ago, Issouf went to live at Hope Center where he received consistent meals from Feeding The Nations, along with an education. Today, he is the only person in his family to have a diploma.

His cousin expressed gratitude for the help Issouf has received: “I have come to say thank you for what you have done for Issouf. Because you accepted him at the Hope Center, his life was not wasted. He survived because you cared for him, gave him food, a place to live. Thank you for saving his life.”

Commit to joining with us today so we can save the lives of more kids like Issouf. Mark your calendar now. Post this link on Facebook and challenge your friends and family to take part. Make this a learning experience for your kids. Together we can make a difference. Together we can feed nations of hungry people.

Follow us on Pinterest to find recipes for your five-day challenge. Stay up-to-date with us and learn about upcoming giveaways on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Sign-up for our email list to receive updates, recipes and encouragements along the way.

*Source: United Nations Development Programme via https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-global-poverty