Written By Olena Riznyk
STRATHROY - On March 25, members of the farming community gathered in Strathroy for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank spring meeting. The event focused on how local farmers are helping to fight hunger around the world through something called “growing projects.” These projects are groups of farmers who work together, often with support from churches, to raise crops and donate the money from sales to help feed people in need around the world.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a Christian-based organization that has been working to end global hunger for more than 40 years. It began in 1983 through the Mennonite Central Committee and now includes 15 Canadian church-based agencies. “We are a Christian response to hunger,” said Henry Reinders, the Ontario Regional Representative. “It’s a big task and one that’s not going to happen overnight, but we do what we can.”
One of the most important changes in recent years has been the way the Foodgrains Bank delivers aid. “We used to send food from Canada overseas,” said Reinders, “but now we use the money from crop sales to buy food locally in the countries where help is needed.” This new method saves money on shipping, supports local farmers in those countries, and provides people with food they are familiar with.
The Strathroy area is home to the Caradoc growing project, and other local communities like Thorndale are also involved. These projects are a sign of the strong local support for this important cause.
At the meeting, guest speaker Paul Hagerman, Director of Public Policy for the Foodgrains Bank, spoke about how foreign aid makes a difference. He addressed concerns about cuts to foreign aid in countries like the United States and explained why it’s still very much needed. “Foreign aid saves lives. It helps build stronger communities. And it even makes the world safer—including for us in Canada,” Hagerman explained.
Reinders added that the Foodgrains Bank does not work through foreign governments or large aid agencies. Instead, it partners with local people and organizations in the countries where help is needed. “We work in about 35 countries each year, and our partners are on the ground, knowing the people and the culture. That makes our work more effective,” he said.
As Canada heads into an election year, both Reinders and Hagerman encouraged attendees to speak up about the importance of foreign aid. “It’s important that we continue to be a leader as a country in supporting foreign aid,” said Reinders.
