Corn, corn, and corn

We are beginning to take bolder steps to combat the hunger crisis that we are seeing in many of the families of Quiche--mostly in the outlying villages where the only corn people eat is what they grow. An unusual lack of rain this year has ruined a huge portion of the crop in many parts of Quiche, and we are seeing more and more malnourished children and families in our clinics each week. In addition to our nutrition program for children, we are giving out more bags of food (corn, beans, rice, oats and other basic items).

Meet a family's corn needs for a year for $68:

This is all in planning for now, but we calculate that for $88 we can supply 730 lbs of corn to a family for a year. That will supply 2 lbs of corn a day to a family of 8 mostly for their tortillas. We're getting the 2 lbs a day figure after much discussion here with Guatemalans. Ideally, families would be able to supplement their tortillas with beans, fruits, and vegetables. If we are able to do that also we will. Right now our food packages include rice, oats, and beans. We honestly kind of hope that churches might step up and also donate some of the these other food items, but at the moment our main focus to feed a larger number of families has been corn.

So how does $88 turn into $68? We know it's not a good idea to give away 100 lb bags of corn unless a family truly has nothing, so we would charge Q20 ($2.42) per bag. At 730 lbs per year that turns out to be $20 a year, hence our year end cost of $68. Just to put a cost of Q20 per bag in perspective, market price per bag right now is Q135 ($16.34) and rising. Most rural Mayan families without a corn crop this year can't afford that price for long.

Through prayer, house visits, and an organized distribution process, we hope to get corn into those homes that don't have any this year. As many Guatemalan men and women have told us, nothing satisfies them like their corn tortilla. They have to have it! The current plan we're developing will help get that corn to them, providing a main staple in their diet.

Corn, corn, and corn

We are beginning to take bolder steps to combat the hunger crisis that we are seeing in many of the families of Quiche--mostly in the outlying villages where the only corn people eat is what they grow. An unusual lack of rain this year has ruined a huge portion of the crop in many parts of Quiche, and we are seeing more and more malnourished children and families in our clinics each week. In addition to our nutrition program for children, we are giving out more bags of food (corn, beans, rice, oats and other basic items).

Meet a family's corn needs for a year for $68:

This is all in planning for now, but we calculate that for $88 we can supply 730 lbs of corn to a family for a year. That will supply 2 lbs of corn a day to a family of 8 mostly for their tortillas. We're getting the 2 lbs a day figure after much discussion here with Guatemalans. Ideally, families would be able to supplement their tortillas with beans, fruits, and vegetables. If we are able to do that also we will. Right now our food packages include rice, oats, and beans. We honestly kind of hope that churches might step up and also donate some of the these other food items, but at the moment our main focus to feed a larger number of families has been corn.

So how does $88 turn into $68? We know it's not a good idea to give away 100 lb bags of corn unless a family truly has nothing, so we would charge Q20 ($2.42) per bag. At 730 lbs per year that turns out to be $20 a year, hence our year end cost of $68. Just to put a cost of Q20 per bag in perspective, market price per bag right now is Q135 ($16.34) and rising. Most rural Mayan families without a corn crop this year can't afford that price for long.

Through prayer, house visits, and an organized distribution process, we hope to get corn into those homes that don't have any this year. As many Guatemalan men and women have told us, nothing satisfies them like their corn tortilla. They have to have it! The current plan we're developing will help get that corn to them, providing a main staple in their diet.