Canadian Foodgrains Bank rep for Manitoba, Dale Friesen, is on the move throughout the province and northwestern Ontario to share the story of how the CFB helps the hurting and the hungry around the world.
One of the aspects of his role as rep is to inspire communities to look at fundraising efforts beyond the farm and field.
"This isn't just a farmer's project, right?" says Friesen. "It's not just farmers who can donate or who can start up a community fundraising project. We can have a wide variety of ways that we can donate to and do different things. And it doesn't just have to be farmers. It doesn't just have to be auction sales."
The CFB accepts individual donations as some folks set aside a little part of their income, or they'll hold their own personal fundraiser within their family or circle of friends.
Friesen has been reaching out to both city and rural churches to share the invite to become involved.
"So, it's just about having conversations with different people. That's why I have really spent a lot of time going to churches because in the church we have a lot of people that are willing to donate or a lot of them are aware of the Foodbank cause. They might not know just how they can make a difference, right?"
Sometimes our thoughts jump to the obvious questions, 'World hunger is such a big issue, who am I to make a difference? What can I possibly do to help?'
"And so, trying to explain those kinds of things, that's been a really a big part of this as well by going to individual churches," he adds.
In addition to churches, Friesen has been reaching out to schools to teach students about food insecurity in social studies classes. As well he's been involved with youth groups to share the plight of third world countries and how we can help.
The other thing too is also going to individual schools as well too.
"We do something called force to flee, which is a refugee simulation, which is a huge part of hunger," says Friesen. "So even just trying to see that next generation think beyond, right? And so yeah, I've just been trying to hit it at a whole wide variety of places using social media too."
Friesen has been posting regular photos of the different grow projects from across the province on the Manitoba Foodgrains Facebook page, and he welcomes chapter members to forward their project pics to him to add to the collection of photos.
"I went and drove around some of the local projects and just took some pictures, just to say these crops are starting here because we also want to communicate to people about these farm projects that these field projects are not just a harvest event, right? Like this is an all-year event and it's not just the fundraising aspect, but there's also the seeding. There's the spraying, all sorts of stages in the growing of those crops."
For speaking engagements, Friesen says he's pretty well booked up for Sunday morning services at churches across the province. However, he'd like to share more of the message with groups during the week, like mid-week Bible Study groups, seniors groups, adult, youth and children Sunday School classes.
"Or maybe it's in the school system or with youth groups," he adds. "I'm really looking for some more midweek stuff. I just want to keep telling the story ... and maybe it doesn't even have to be a group. If there are people who want to meet for coffee, I'm happy to do that. You know, have car will drive!"
He also welcomes phones calls and zoom chats with anyone who is wanting to learn more about the CFB and the projects they support.
In communicating to current and future supporters of the Foodgrains Bank initiative, Friesen says there are four ways folks can get involved.
"We have 4 sort-of 'asks'," he says. "One is to give and that's kind of an obvious thing - to give financially. Another is to advocate and that means to sort of speak up to whether that be to your friends and neighbors, or it means speaking up to your elected officials. So, like when we had an election, ask your elected official, 'How do you feel about things with foreign aid? How do you feel about us being a generous country?"
Prayer changes things and there is never a shortage of prayer requests and needs as the CFB works together with their partner organizations around the world to help those who struggle with food sustainability, extreme weather catastrophes like drought or tropical storms, landslides, earthquakes, the list goes on. Many of these things we in North America are not familiar with. For many around the world these occurrences happen all too often, making it extremely difficult to gain any ground to ensure there is enough food for whole communities.
"And we also ask people to learn," adds Friesen. "Just to try to understand what's going on in our world. So, there are different ways for folks to get involved."
For more information on the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and the projects they're working on visit their website HERE!