Foods Resource Bank Silverton Hills Project

The St Paul Social Justice Group met recently with Leah Stolte-Doerfler and offered our support for the "Foods Resource Bank Silverton Hills Project" Here is her update:

Foods Resource Bank Silverton Hills Project Prepares for Second Growing Year...

Roughly a year ago, a group of people within the Silverton Community came together with a common goal of responding to world hunger. Using a model that is widely known in Canada and the Mid-West, this group planted a local program called the Foods Resource Bank (FRB).

At its most basic level FRB is a Christian response to world hunger. It is how FRB approaches the problem that makes it both unique and successful. First, FRB does not provide emergency food assistance. FRB funds and teaches long-term food reliability programs in hungry countries.

Those projects are researched, implemented, and administered by faith-based organizations that are already in place in each context. This means that there are no start-up costs incurred by creating new agencies. Since the faith-based groups are in operation, credibility has already been established and each agency has first-hand knowledge about what sorts of farming practices are culturally, economically, and environmentally feasible. Ultimately, it is FRB’s goal to empower communities to feed themselves through sound, sustainable farming practices.

This is a farmer-to-farmer connection because it is via ‘growing projects’ in places of plenty—such as here in the Willamette Valley—that money is raised to fund the overseas programs.
The 2006 Silverton Hills Project was cattle: Twelve head of cows, five goats, a lamb, and a pig were raised and sold. The cattle project cleared $14.857.72 which was sent to Mtumba, Tanzania, a place that has been devastated by drought, famine, and AIDS.

In 2007, the India Chattisgarh Program will be the recipient of the money raised by the Silverton Hills Project.

Business owners, any interested individuals, or groups who want to learn more or join in this response to world hunger are encouraged to contact Leah Stolte-Doerfler (503.302.7712).

Check out FRB online at http://www.foodsresourcebank.org/ .

Lord, when did we see you hungry?