Wherever hunger and hardship exist – together, we deliver hope [25AATX]

We have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.

Soon, we will gather around tables filled with food, savor the aromas of a feast, and share a favorite family recipe.

Surrounded by the warmth of loved ones, we will laugh, tell stories, and feel the deep comfort of belonging.

And together, we will bow our heads in prayer, giving thanks to God for our health, the safe roof over our heads, and for his abundant gifts of love and mercy that bless our lives in countless ways.

Gratitude comes easily in such moments.

But for people around the world who are struggling to find their next meal, gratitude is harder to find. For them, giving thanks often begins with something far more basic, like a bowl of soup, a piece of bread, or a safe place to rest.

Whether in South America, the Caribbean, or Africa, the cry is the same: “We are hungry!”

Wherever suffering is found, you will also find Franciscans. Wherever hunger and hardship exist, we are there!

Wherever hunger and hardship exist [25AATX]

The Reassurance of God’s love

From the streets of Buenos Aires and Santiago to the soup kitchens of Negril and Uberlândia, to the refugee camps of Goma, Franciscan friars stand beside the poor and hungry every day, offering not only food, but also dignity, prayer, and the reassurance of God’s love.

In Argentina, Franciscan friars of the Buen Samaritano project open the doors of San Francisco de Asís Friary in Buenos Aires to hundreds of men, women, and children living on the streets. When someone arrives, hungry and weary, the person is greeted, not as a stranger, but as a sister or brother. A shower, clean clothes, a warm plate of food, and a listening ear restore dignity to people who so often feel invisible.

For many, the embrace of the friars is the only place they are called by name, the only place they are told, “You are welcome here.”

Wherever hunger and hardship exist [25AATX]

Friars on the streets of Buenos Aires remind forgotten people that their stories and struggles matter

With every meal served at the Fray Andresito Soup Kitchen, gratitude and hope are renewed

A young girl has a meal at St. Anthony’s kitchen in Negril, Jamaica

A simple piece of bread becomes a treasure

In Chile, the Fray Andresito Soup Kitchen in Santiago provides meals to nearly 200 people each day. Many of those who come are elderly and alone, or migrants struggling to survive in the crowded city. They carry stories of hardship, addiction, and isolation. But at the soup kitchen, they find welcome.

And every Wednesday night, young students host a Café Solidario, offering hot drinks, sandwiches, and heartfelt prayer to people sleeping in the cold streets. Imagine being greeted with a smile, receiving a steaming cup, and being asked sincerely, “How are you?”

For the poor of Santiago, a single moment of care at Fray Andresito Soup Kitchen or Café Solidario can be as nourishing as the food.

In Jamaica, St. Anthony’s Kitchen in Negril has been a faithful presence for the past fifteen years. Each morning, children line up for breakfast before school. For many, it is their only chance to begin the day with strength and focus from nourishing food.

At midday, 120 of the poorest men and women in the community gather for a simple lunch. One young mother recently shared that without St. Anthony’s Kitchen, her children would go to bed hungry most nights. Thanks to the friars, they can now go to bed with full stomachs and lighter hearts.

One friar described meeting a little girl clutching a small piece of bread as if it were a treasure. For her, it was!

Wherever hunger and hardship exist [25AATX]

A Shield Against Despair

In Brazil, seven Community Kitchens in Uberlândia serve as beacons of hope for more than 1,000 people a month. Every day, local women volunteer to work side by side with the friars to prepare hot meals for families who would otherwise go without food.

Food is sourced from poor farming cooperatives, helping rural families earn income. Workshops and training programs give women new skills and greater confidence. Vulnerable groups, including elderly and marginalized individuals, are welcomed with respect.

These kitchens are more than feeding stations. They are places of empowerment.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the suffering is immense. At Lushagala Camp in Goma, more than 8,000 refugee children live in tents made of scraps. Many are orphans with no one to protect them. Hunger gnaws at their small bodies. Disease spreads quickly. Violenceis a constant threat.

When our Franciscan missionaries distribute rice, beans, or maize flour, they do more than feed empty stomachs. The friars offer a shield against despair. They are a sign that God has not abandoned his children even in the darkest of places.

Here, gratitude looks like a child licking the last bit of rice from a plate, or a mother smiling because she knows her family will eat again tomorrow.

Wherever hunger and hardship exist [25AATX]

Even in the midst of hardship, the friars help children in the Democratic Republic of Congo find joy and encouragement

In the crowded camps, Franciscan friars offer reassurance that no one is forgotten

Help Us Feed the Hungry and Share God’s Love with Them

Your gift this Thanksgiving makes the work of our Franciscan missionaries possible. As you give thanks for the blessings in your life this Thanksgiving, please consider sharing your blessings with a hungry child, a struggling parent, or a forgotten refugee.

Your gift in support of Franciscan missionaries will place food on the table, restore dignity to the poor, and shine the light of God’s love into places of darkness and despair.

Wherever Franciscans serve, you are remembered in their daily prayers and in the Masses, they offer with and for the poor. We give thanks to God for YOU!

Please give generously today so that together we can continue to bring hope, comfort, and nourishment to people in need.

With my lasting gratitude and prayers for a blessed Thanksgiving, I am…

Yours in Christ and Saint Francis,

Brother Andrew Brophy, OFM

Executive Director

P.S. Your gifts for Franciscan missionaries are blessings to the poor who long to taste God’s goodness. When you share your blessings, you place food in a hungry child’s hands, and God’s joy fills that little one’s heart. This Thanksgiving, as you reflect on all you have received, please help us feed people who are hungry and share God’s love with them.

Wherever hunger and hardship exist [25AATX]