Canadian Foodgrains Bank Receives $100,000 Grant from the Monsanto Fund

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - July 17, 2013) - Canadian Foodgrains Bank has received a grant of $100,000 from the Monsanto Fund.

The grant, given to the Foodgrains Bank on the occasion of its 30^th anniversary, will be used to support growing projects in rural communities in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

"This gift from the Monsanto Fund is greatly appreciated," says Jim Cornelius, Executive Director of the Foodgrains Bank.

"It will help new growing projects get established, allowing them to raise more money so we can provide assistance to more people in the developing world who don't have enough to eat."

The funds will be used to help start or support new growing projects in Canada-community fundraisers where farmers and others come together to grow and sell a crop to raise money for the Foodgrains Bank. Support from the Fund will be used for inputs or land rental.

"The offer of support from corporations like Monsanto for our growing projects enables them to significantly reduce their overall input costs so they can donate more to the Foodgrains Bank," Cornelius adds. "It's important and much-appreciated by our supporters across Canada."

The grant from the Monsanto Fund is in addition to Monsanto Canada's annual donation of $60,000 to the Foodgrains Bank for growing project inputs.

"The Growing Project program fits nicely with our mission to improve people's lives," said Trish Jordan, public and industry affairs director with Monsanto Canada.

"The Monsanto Fund directs its giving at projects or programs that strengthen and support rural communities both here in Canada and around the world. We appreciate the opportunity to engage in this way and we know the farmer and community volunteers who manage these growing projects will do a terrific job at the local level."

In 2012-13 the Foodgrains Bank received $5.8 million from over 200 growing and community projects across Canada. Together with other donations and support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Foodgrains Bank was able to provide $43 million of food, agricultural assistance and nutrition programs for almost 2.1 million people in 37 countries. This included 40,678 tonnes of food and seed.

Founded in 1983, the Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end global hunger. Over the past 30 years it has provided over half a billion dollars of assistance to millions of people in the developing world, including 1.1 million tonnes of food and seeds.

The Monsanto Fund is the philanthropic Arm of Monsanto. Created in 1964, it works to substantially and meaningfully improve the lives of people around the world by strengthening both farming communities in other countries and the communities where we live and work.