John,

It's no secret — COVID-19 has caused a worldwide hunger crisis larger than we’ve ever seen before.

From the very beginning, Ecuador was one of the hardest hit countries by the pandemic. With government-mandated lockdowns and transportation at a standstill, rural farmers found themselves with bountiful crops but no way of getting them to market and selling them to earn a living. At the same time, urban families struggled to find the healthy fruits, vegetables and grains they needed to stay healthy and combat the deadly virus.

But this moment of dire consequences gave birth to ingenuity and hope.

You see, our staff on the ground in Ecuador — along with the hardworking farmers we serve — came up with an incredible plan: food baskets.

Our always nimble and creative staff pivoted as soon as the pandemic caused everything to change. Seeing that farmers had food to share, Heifer coordinated the safe transport of produce to larger communities where people were struggling to find food. Farmers worked together to bundle their nutritious food in baskets and bags that families could then purchase at a modest price. In doing so — hardworking farmers could continue to earn a living, while families in cities could feed their children.

It seems like such a simple concept, right? It was clear from the beginning how lifesaving food baskets could be. And the most wonderful thing was this could be replicated almost ANYWHERE.

Since then — and with YOUR support, John — we've expanded our food basket program to several countries around the world, like Nepal. Because of you, more mothers and fathers can put food on the table for their families, and farmers can continue feeding their neighbors.