GROWING HOPE GLOBALLY

Growing Hope Globally raises funds in the U.S. through community “growing projects" for agricultural development programs overseas that support resource-poor rural communities in growing their own food, earning incomes, and living healthy, hopeful, productive lives. Our purpose is to serve as a catalyst for change by sharing innovation and ideas, inviting people to join our efforts, and networking with people and organizations around the world to mobilize at the grassroots level to reduce hunger through agriculture development, by:

1. Working to maximize the gifts and capacity of all people.
2. Developing a sustainable financial base that supports our mission.
3. Striving to maintain and enhance transparency and accountability in every aspect of our work.

Growing Hope Globally's volunteer US community growing projects raise a crop or commodity, sell it, and make the funds available to us for programs implemented by its implementing partner organizations. Because our partners already have an overseas presence and work with the target communities through trusted local partners, we need not duplicate costly infrastructure.

All our stakeholders share ideas, knowledge and experience in supporting smallholder farmers overseas. Many dialogue with decision makers in our nation's capital about the complexities of world hunger and agricultural development as a way to reduce it. Visits to and from our programs promote greater understanding.

We also facilitate program-to-program visits overseas so that smallholder farmers and local program staff can exchange experiences with others facing similar challenges. We welcome individual donors, foundations, and corporations to join us and experience for themselves how we work to support those in need.

Growing Hope Globally's model is built on volunteerism and networking. Our dynamic staff brings new US community growing projects on board; encourages existing growing projects; works with our implementing organizations and their local partners overseas to ensure that smallholder farm communities have a voice in the process; monitors those food security programs and reports back to donors on their progress (see stories on our website). Thousands of US volunteers – some have been involved since our first crop year in 2000 – promote the growing project/overseas program model to others. Other volunteers support our staff by helping get new growing projects started, thanking and encouraging existing projects, speaking publicly about our model and mission, and identifying potential funders. Our board directors share their organizations' overseas programming knowledge freely, and their non-profit experience puts us in contact with funders, consultants and other professionals.

Growing Hope Globally started as an idea that US farm communities could use their time, talents, expertise and equipment to produce crops, sell them, and send proceeds to us to stop the cycle of poverty in rural communities overseas through sustainable, appropriate agricultural technologies. Our first crop year had 10 “growing projects" on 360 acres, and their proceeds supported a program in Kenya. Growing projects include field crops, vegetable and fruit crops, dairy, pie auctions, FFA efforts, and other creative efforts. These projects involve 1000 U.S. farmers, 1000s of volunteers, hundreds of churches, community groups, businesses and other organizations and make it possible for Growing Hope Globally, its members and their in-country partners to support smallholder ag development programs in countries across the developing world. In order to reach more rural farm communities overseas, we must develop a larger funding base. Please join us in “growing lasting solutions to hunger."