You may be thinking 'but this disaster befell that poor African country more than thirty years ago, surely things must be better today'. Well sadly, no, things are not any better. In fact the systemic failures which precipitated the local food shortages and amplified the effects of the drought have never been fixed and are in fact worse today than they were back then.
Millions of the poorest, most vulnerable people in Ethiopia are once again at risk of starvation. Elderly men and women, weak and desperate, wait for food and water; malnourished children lie dying; livestock, bones protruding, perish.
Tackling homelessness, joblessness, and food insecurity all at once can seem like a daunting task, but Verde Farms in Miami, Florida is managing to do all three. The community farm has one saying: “For people, not for profit,” and they stay true to that credo.
All money spent at the Verde Community Farmers Market and restaurant go toward hiring and training at-risk community members to work on the farm and in the market, and to build infrastructure to support the program. Special consideration is given to Carrfour Supportive Housing’s Verde Gardens community.
