Who are you trying to help? What issue are you trying to address?

We have set up Feeding Centres is some of the poorest and most remote villages in Romania at the invitation of local authorities who have no other safety net to offer. There are currently 19 of these feeding centres in Romania which we have set up and continue to supply from our warehouse in Bucharest Romania. In addition there are two special feeding centres as explained below.

The Bread of Life orphanage in Brosteni Romania serves as a special Feeding Centre. Besides supplying meals for the 100+ children who live at the orphanage the children themselves take daily meals by bicyle to poor elderly people in the village.

Another special Feeding Centre is located in a leper colony in the village of Tichilesti. The food delivered there supplements the diet of the adults infected with this disease who live year round in this isolated village.

Local children of poor families are invited to come and receive one nutrition packed meal each day at the Feeding Centre. This not only improves the nutrition, health, and life of the child but also helps to stabilize their family’s financial situation. The help these families receive can be critical to their survival but does not create a dependency or enable a poor work ethic.

We have a number of donors who supply us with food and other items, but we continue to need supplies so that we can continue to run our feeding centres successfully.

What is your project and how will it help?

The feeding centres are typically set up in a local church and staffed by volunteers from that church. This helps keep operating costs to a minimum and gives local villagers a personal investment in the relief effort.

Local Feeding Centre staff are encouraged to supplement the food supply and diet for the children served by growing a garden and obtaining donations from local sources. Bread of Life staff evaluate the work of local volunteers and hold them accountable for food delivered as well as distribution records. Winter coats and school backpacks are also distributed through the feeding centres which currently serve about 2000 kids each day. Children who are well fed and equipped for school are obviously more likely to succeed in all areas of life.

In some locations food packets are sent home to help whole families in need.

How can other people partner with you on your project?

Currently our major donor is Feed the Hungry 530 E Ireland Rd, South Bend IN www.feedthehungry.org Representatives from Feed the Hungry have visited Romania more than once recently to confirm that donations are being distributed efficiently and effectively.

We have recently received pallets of food from Kids Against Hunger satellites at our Hamilton Texas warehouse. Their corporate office is 5401 Boone Ave North New Hope, MN info@kidsagainsthunger.org. A number of churches and private donors support Bread of Life with donations of cash and goods. More references and contact information can be provided upon request.

We continue to need donors and supplies for our feeding centres.

Please detail the resources that you need.

Bread of Life needs a number of items to supply the orphanage and feeding centers:
•winter coats, hats, gloves, new boots
•basic medical supplies for infirmary
•sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases
•small beds and mattresses
•small dressers
•small school desks, black board/ white boards
•computers
•furniture
•large gas or diesel generator