Planting seeds of hope to address world hunger

PAM PUTMAN-KIMMETT Outreach Team, Cambridge Street United Church

KAWARTHA LAKES: Cambridge Street United Church, Lindsay, is partnering with local supporters to help the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to provide “A Christian Response to World Hunger”.

Ten acres of soybeans have been planted near Oakwood, with funds raised by the church, on farmland donated by the Bruce VandenBerg family, and with help from local suppliers, namely: Huitson Farms AgriServices, in care of Bayer; Little Britain, who donated the Dekalb soybean seed, and Alliance Agri-Turf.

Funds raised from the harvested soybeans will be forwarded to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a national charitable organization which partners with Canadian churches and church-based agencies to end world hunger. At present, Global Affairs Canada matches up to “four to one” of the funds raised from the growing projects across the country. Canadian Foodgrains Bank, in turn, responds to the ever-increasing level of global hunger, donating food in times of crisis, helping people improve access to food in long term crisis, as well as engaging Canadians and governments toward meaningful change. If market prices are good in October, we are hoping to raise $5,000, and with Global Affairs matching grants for local growing funds raised, our efforts will be multiplied, to increase Canadian Foodgrains Bank ability to provide food assistance around the world. As you know, crop prices and yields are only known at harvest time.

The Outreach Team of Cambridge Street United church thanks Phil VandenBerg, a Volunteer Ambassador for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Learn more about the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and its impact, at www.foodgrainsbank.ca, and follow the progress of the project on the Cambridge Street United Church FaceBook page.