Help Feed Hundreds of Hungry People

The Cuenca Soup Kitchen needs your support to help families change their futures. Your donations directly impact families experiencing food insecurity, children unable to attend school, and women, and babies who lack access to diapers and feminine hygiene products in Cuenca, Ecuador. According to the World Food Program, two million Ecuadorians suffer from severe hunger and many more suffer from food insecurity. By providing food kits to hungry people, we also provide greater access to health, education, and a more productive future.

Because families are dedicating their time and energy to the daily search for food, they are unable to pursue things like education and hygiene, thereby creating a cycle of poverty and food insecurity for generations to come. In Cuenca, Ecuador food insecurity has been impacted by the mass migration of Venezuelan refugees, COVID, a host of natural disasters, the drug cartels, and two national strikes.

Donations make the difference. With them, The Cuenca Soup Kitchen decreases food insecurity, increases children’s access to education, and provides eco-friendly diaper and feminine hygiene kits at physician-led workshops. Each beneficiary is screened and monitored by a social worker. As applicants reach stability they are transitioned out of the program and families from our waiting list are brought in.

Reducing food insecurity positively impacts health both in the short and in the long term. It diminishes child malnutrition. It also provides an opportunity for a better future as families can focus on education, increasing employment opportunities, and earning ability. But none of this can be done without the donations that fuel these steps towards brighter futures for generations to come. We invite you to donate towards positive change!

Summary

According to the World Food Program, two million Ecuadorians currently suffer from severe hunger. This crisis is exacerbated by national strikes, increasing cartel violence, and ongoing economic instability. Those at the lowest levels of the socio-economic spectrum have the fewest resources and experience the greatest hardship.

 By addressing food insecurity, The Cuenca Foundation (TCF) strengthens access to health, education, and opportunities for more stable and productive futures.

 Challenge

 Food insecurity places an overwhelming burden on families. As resources are consumed by the daily struggle to obtain food, education and healthcare are often neglected. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty and hunger that can persist for generations.

 Solution

 Each applicant is carefully screened and monitored by a social worker to ensure that limited resources are used effectively.

 1. Food Security:

  Through partnerships with monthly donors, TCF provides food kits to vulnerable families, reducing hunger, improving health, and allowing families to focus on long-term stability.

 2. Education:

 All children served by TCF are required to attend school. TCF provides school supplies and offers free English instruction through the EmpowerEd program, conducted in collaboration with the City of Cuenca and Dr. Sonya Groves. English proficiency is essential for admission to free public universities and

 significantly enhances employability in Cuenca’s growing tourism sector.

 3. Health and Hygiene:

 In partnership with Dr. Maite Depreeuw, TCF conducts physician-led workshops on hygiene and sexual education for mothers and daughters. These sessions provide vital reproductive health information and often help identify and support victims of abuse. Participants receive reusable, eco-friendly feminine hygiene kits.

 Additional workshops on newborn and early childhood care distribute reusable diaper kits, reducing household expenses for vulnerable families. A new dental health initiative, developed with Dr. Grace Ordoñez, provides dental care to children who have never before seen a dentist.

 As beneficiary families achieve stability, they are transitioned out of the program, making space for new families from TCF’s extensive waiting list.

 Long-Term Impact

 Reducing food insecurity leads to lasting improvements in health, particularly through the reduction of child malnutrition. As families gain stability, they can prioritize education and employment, breaking the cycle of poverty.

The long-term results are evident: several former TCF students are now pursuing higher education. Two recent graduates, María and Rosa (names changed for privacy), are currently enrolled in university programs. María is pursuing a degree in nutrition and Rosa is studying education. Both opportunities were made possible by the educational and nutritional support they received through TCF. Their success demonstrates how targeted, sustained intervention can transform individual lives and contribute to the overall well-being and economic resilience of the community