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♠Foods Resource Bank Project a HUGE Success!

Foods Resource Bank is a non-government humanitarian organization committed providing food security in the developing world through sustainable small-scale agricultural production, and it does so in a unique way.

Local farmers prepare the soil, plant, tend, and harvest the acreage. Thus, the farmer is giving a gift only he can give: the use of his equipment, time, and knowledge.

Three area churches and two local farmers – one provided the land, the other the labor and equipment – planted a corn crop in the Decatur area. The harvested crop was taken to the local grain elevator and donated to FRB. Then, instead of paying high shipping costs to send food supplies to hungry people around the world, FRB sells the original crops and uses the funds to purchase grain, seeds, tools, and other resources near the affected areas.

Left to right: *Norm Braksick, Foods Resource Bank; Jim Van Buren, First Presbyterian Church, Kalamazoo, Bernie Rodee, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Portage; Dawn and Randy Vander Ploeg*, owners of the farm. This was not only a cooperative adventure but one of love.

Druskovich Brothers Farms, LLC, provided the labor and equipment to plant and harvest the crop.	November 5, 2005 A sumptuous barbecue lunch was served under a tent at the edge of the corn field, which was partially harvested in the presence of the guests and visitors to the site. Several participants also enjoyed a wagon ride out into the field. Precise crop yield statistics were not available at the celebration, but a report on how much was raised for the sustainable agriculture project in Malawi will be announced soon.

To read about the details, please read the Foods Resource Bank 2005 Growing Project Final Report.

For more information on the Foods Resource Bank ministry, please visit the website at www.foodresourcebank.com