Food For The Poor, Inc.

What Food For The Poor, Inc. does

Food For The Poor, Inc. (FFTP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Coconut Creek, Florida, that delivers humanitarian relief and community development programs to impoverished communities across 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Operationally, the organization runs a logistics-intensive model that has shipped more than 105,000 tractor-trailers of aid, built over 96,000 homes, constructed 1,500+ schools, and served 4.7 billion meals since inception. Country offices in Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana, and Honduras, plus a new field-based COO function in Guatemala City, coordinate last-mile distribution through in-country implementing partners.

FFTP's core "products" are programs rather than software: the LIFT (Livelihoods Improved Through Food Security and Training) climate-smart agriculture initiative with Farmer Field Schools and starter kits, the SHINE school breakfast feeding program in Haiti, the Angels of Hope child sponsorship across 87 children's homes, the WASH water and sanitation program, Operation Starfish church-based fundraising, and the Prison Ministry program. These are funded through a diversified revenue stack of individual cash donations (25-28%), corporate and foundation grants, child-sponsorship subscriptions, monthly recurring giving, and gifts-in-kind (71-75% of total inflows, primarily food, medicine, and building materials). Donors transact through the Humanitarian Gift Catalog (unit-priced items ranging from $68 handbags to $3,270 Field School kits), monthly giving, major-gift and planned-giving programs managed by a Major Giving division, the Church Alliances channel, and celebrity Angel Ambassador partnerships.

The go-to-market is community-led and donor-direct: 6 million cumulative donors are engaged through Church Alliances, Champions for the Poor advocacy, mission trips, direct mail, and digital channels (website, podcast, social media). Partnerships with Feed My Starving Children (100.9M meals delivered in H1 2025), Mercado Global, Water Mission, Heart to Heart International, World Food Program USA, TaiwanICDF, Free Wheelchair Mission, Living Water International, and Acceso extend delivery capacity. Leadership under President and CEO Ed Raine (since January 2020) has professionalized the C-suite, adding a CRO (Vivian Borja, ex-Medtronic/Western Union/J&J), CSIO (Nicolás Argüello, ex-ANF, Columbia/Oxford), CIO (Sheila Hanlon Ravindran, ex-Jazwares/UKG), and COO (Sara Sywulka, ex-World Vision Guatemala), and launched the SHARPEN three-year strategic plan and Generational Expansion Initiative in 2024. Program expense ratio of 89.5% (2025) and 87.9% (2024) places FFTP at the high end of nonprofit efficiency benchmarks.

Name

Food For The Poor, Inc.

Legal name

Food For The Poor, Inc.

Website

https://foodforthepoor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Food For The Poor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 that delivers humanitarian relief, housing, food security, and community development programs across 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, supported by 6 million donors and over $421 million in annual aid and services in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Humanitarian Relief and Development

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD), Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD), Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB), School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL)

Keywords

• Humanitarian relief
• Hunger relief
• International development
• Child sponsorship
• Disaster response

Headquarters

HQ city

Coconut Creek

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donated Goods Revenue: In-kind donations from corporations and individuals constitute the largest revenue stream, accounting for approximately 71-75% of total revenue. These include food, medicine, building materials, and other essential goods shipped to beneficiaries.
2. Cash Donations and Pledges: Individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, and pledges. Represents approximately 25-28% of total revenue. Includes major gifts, planned giving, and regular monthly donations.
3. Child Sponsorship - Angels of Hope Program: Monthly sponsorship of children in children's homes across Latin America and the Caribbean. Sponsors receive updates and can correspond with sponsored children.
4. Gift Catalog Sales: Sale of handcrafted items through Mercado Global partnership (handbags, accessories) and gift catalog items that donors can purchase for beneficiaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Food For The Poor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian relief and development organization that collects cash and in-kind donations from individuals, churches, corporations, and foundations, then ships food, medicine, building materials, and other essential goods to impoverished communities across 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. It also funds sustainable programs in food security, water/sanitation, healthcare, education, housing, economic empowerment, and child sponsorship, delivered through field offices and local implementing partners.

Product overview

Food For The Poor operates as a nonprofit charity organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of humanitarian aid programs. The core offerings include the LIFT program for sustainable agriculture and food security, SHINE school breakfast nutrition programs, the Angels of Hope child sponsorship initiative, and the Mercado Global handcrafted artisan products. Donors can contribute through a Humanitarian Gift Catalog featuring various aid categories (food assistance, housing, water access, micro-enterprise, education, health supplies) and LIFT Starter Kits for agricultural empowerment. Additional programs include the WASH water/sanitation initiative, Prison Ministry for prisoner rehabilitation, and strategic initiatives like the SHARPEN three-year plan and Generational Expansion youth engagement. The organization delivers media content through the Beyond the Plate podcast and maintains partnerships for disaster response and community development across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Angels of Hope: Child sponsorship program supporting young people across children's homes in Latin America and the Caribbean
• LIFT (Livelihoods Improved Through Food Security and Training)
• SHINE (Strengthening Hope through Inclusive Nutrition and Education)
• Mercado Global
• Beyond the Plate

Products and services

• LIFT (Livelihoods Improved Through Food Security and Training)
• SHINE (Strengthening Hope through Inclusive Nutrition and Education)
• Angels of Hope Child Sponsorship
• Humanitarian Gift Catalog
• Mercado Global Handcrafted Bags and Accessories
• WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Program
• Prison Ministry Program
• Operation Starfish

Quantifiable outcome

• Provided 943 million meals between 2019 and 2023
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Partnership to support Jamaica's recovery from Hurricane Melissa. CMEx and USVI government collaborating on relief and rebuilding efforts.
• USVI GovernmentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Partnering with CMEx to support Jamaica's recovery from Hurricane Melissa through regional collaboration.
• Heart to Heart InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Healthcare partnership to improve healthcare access in Latin America and Caribbean.
• Starr ComputerssecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2024Guyana partnership donated Smart Labs to New Amsterdam Technical Institute and Guyana Police Force Training Academy in Berbice region.
• Taiwan (Government of)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2024MoU signed for donation of 8,240 tons of rice to FFTP-Haiti. Ambassador Wen-Jiann KU participated in signing ceremony.
• Mercado GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Collaborative partnership for Empowering Women Through Sewing project in Guatemala and Honduras. Women are trained to produce high-quality handcrafted handbags and accessories. Program has empowered 800+ women artisans, positively impacting 2,800 people. All proceeds reinvested in the partnership.
• TaiwanICDFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation and development fund partnership providing support across Latin America and Caribbean programs.
• Water MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to bring safe water, sanitation and hope to communities. Water Mission projects reduce waterborne diseases including diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid.
• Feed My Starving ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing nutritious meals. Delivered 100.9 million meals during first half of 2025.
• NCB Jamaica FoundationsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerJamaican foundation partnership supporting hurricane recovery and community development in Jamaica.
• Free Wheelchair MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide mobility assistance and wheelchairs across Latin America and Caribbean.
• World Food Program USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to improve food security across Latin America and Caribbean.
• Living Water InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater and sanitation programs partnership improving access to safe water.
• AccesosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarmer training and market access partnership supporting agricultural livelihoods.
• EntreculturassecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partnership empowering at-risk youth in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras with education and income prospects.
• CEPUDOsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerJamaican partner organization; Linda Coello serves as Founder and President of CEPUDO and sits on FFTP Board of Directors.
• St Francis Community DeveloperssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuyana partner collaborating on IT lab donations in Region Six.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Convoy of Hope: Faith-based nonprofit with comparable model (children's feeding, disaster response, community outreach) and similar gifts-in-kind logistics; shared church-channel fundraising.
• World Vision U.S. Large US-headquartered Christian humanitarian organization running child sponsorship, food assistance, and disaster relief across Latin America, the Caribbean, and globally. Most direct comparable given shared faith-based fundraising DNA and overlapping country footprint (Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala).
• Samaritan's Purse: Evangelical Christian relief organization operating similarly through church networks and direct mail, with comparable gifts-in-kind programs (Operation Christmas Child, disaster relief) targeting similar donor demographics.
• Catholic Relief Services: US Conference of Catholic Bishops' international relief agency; comparable geographic focus on Haiti, Honduras, and Latin America with food security, WASH, and livelihoods programming. Shares faith-based fundraising model and in-country partner structure.
• Compassion International: Faith-based child sponsorship organization with monthly recurring donor model structurally similar to FFTP's Angels of Hope; both operate child-centered programs across Latin America and Caribbean.
• Feed My Starving Children: US-based meal-packing nonprofit explicitly partnering with FFTP (100.9M meals delivered H1 2025); overlapping mission on child nutrition and similar volunteer-driven church engagement model.
• Caritas Internationalis: Global Catholic humanitarian confederation with national chapters running food assistance, disaster response, and community development in the same geographies as FFTP; shares faith-based identity and partner-network distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Larger secular humanitarian NGO with multi-region programming on food security, livelihoods, and disaster response; broader portfolio and higher revenue base than FFTP but overlapping programmatic approach.
• World Food Program USA: US fundraising arm of the UN World Food Programme; FFTP lists WFP USA as a partner, and the two operate in adjacent lanes on food assistance and school feeding in the same Latin America/Caribbean geographies.
• CARE: Major international humanitarian organization with food security, WASH, and women's economic empowerment programs across Latin America; broader global footprint than FFTP but shared programmatic language and donor audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FoodForThePoor
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqb0fJlKEIWtxAyQppvLGqw
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoodForThePoor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/food-for-the-poor
• Instagraminstagram.com/foodforthepoorinc/?hl=en

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Food For The Poor, Inc.