Polo: A project that grows and grows
The Polo Growing Project in its fifth season raised $26,240 in support of agricultural programs in the developing world. We divide the proceeds between a Foods Resource Bank program in Honduras and the Church of the Brethren member account in FRB that invests in sustainable community development in a score of poor countries.
Jim and Karen Schmidt head the Polo project and farm acreage owned by Bill and Betty Hare, all members of the Polo Church of the Brethren. The project has grown from 20 acres the first two years to 30 acres the past three years and will entail 40 acres in 2010.
Despite a cool growing season and unusually wet planting and harvest times, the 2009 corn crop averaged 183 bushels per acre. Three congregations team together to cover the cost of inputs for the 30 acres of corn; Polo Church of the Brethren, $3,000; Faith United Presbyterian Church, Tinley Park, $3,200; and Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, $1,500.
Since 2005 the Polo project has raised nearly $95,000 for investment by Foods Resource Bank (FRB) in rural community development (FRB) overseas. Polo has been host to FRB partners from Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and North Korea.
Foods Resource Bank, described as a Christian response to world hunger, has 210 growing projects in 23 states. FRB celebrated its 10th anniversary this past summer in Moline, Ill. The Church of the Brethren became the 16th member of FRB in 2004, joining through the Global Food Crisis Fund.
Over the past six years, 35 Brethren congregations have launched 24 growing projects and enlisted about an equal number of neighboring churches from other denominations as partners. Five other Brethren churches in the Illinois/Wisconsin District have sponsored projects in previous years, Cherry Grove, Dixon, and Lanark in one project and Mount Morris and Highland Avenue in another.
The Foods Resource Bank and its growing projects approach hunger not just by feeding the hungry, but by equipping the hungry to feed themselves.
Jim and Karen Schmidt head the Polo project and farm acreage owned by Bill and Betty Hare, all members of the Polo Church of the Brethren. The project has grown from 20 acres the first two years to 30 acres the past three years and will entail 40 acres in 2010.
Despite a cool growing season and unusually wet planting and harvest times, the 2009 corn crop averaged 183 bushels per acre. Three congregations team together to cover the cost of inputs for the 30 acres of corn; Polo Church of the Brethren, $3,000; Faith United Presbyterian Church, Tinley Park, $3,200; and Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, $1,500.
Since 2005 the Polo project has raised nearly $95,000 for investment by Foods Resource Bank (FRB) in rural community development (FRB) overseas. Polo has been host to FRB partners from Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and North Korea.
Foods Resource Bank, described as a Christian response to world hunger, has 210 growing projects in 23 states. FRB celebrated its 10th anniversary this past summer in Moline, Ill. The Church of the Brethren became the 16th member of FRB in 2004, joining through the Global Food Crisis Fund.
Over the past six years, 35 Brethren congregations have launched 24 growing projects and enlisted about an equal number of neighboring churches from other denominations as partners. Five other Brethren churches in the Illinois/Wisconsin District have sponsored projects in previous years, Cherry Grove, Dixon, and Lanark in one project and Mount Morris and Highland Avenue in another.
The Foods Resource Bank and its growing projects approach hunger not just by feeding the hungry, but by equipping the hungry to feed themselves.
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