Before the year ends, thank you

Dear Champion,

I am deeply grateful for you. This year, for many of us, life has not been easy. Yet you showed up and doubled down on your investment.

With the current and 11th Wave of ARK Feed Back, you have turned empty backyards into gardens and neighbors into a community that feeds each other and shows up for each other especially during calamities.

We checked in on our communities after each storm and the November super typhoon and what we witnessed was a new kind of resilience. Because of their gardens, they had food before, during and after the storm.

It didn’t matter that the typhoon wrecked 80% of their gardens, they still got on the phone with us and said - “don’t worry we will be back in 4 weeks. Just give us seeds.”

When we proposed to pause the Feed Back Exchanges, it was the families themselves that said no and got their village leaderships to continue the Exchanges even when there is no electricity and families not having much to bring.

What they remind me this holiday season is that in community we will find love, comfort and strength. They came wearing their best garb. Many in lipstick with full smiles. They joined the games and laughed out loud. They remind us that yes the work is hard but together we can do it and there is much joy to be had along the way.

This holiday season and on behalf of the team, I wish you much love, laughter, magical and relaxing moments with your family and village.

Thank you for solving hunger, creating abundance, and building community.

Love,

Ayesha