Local Care for the Poor

The traditional and predominant approach to ministry and missions around the world has been for the wealthy in one part of the world, to send money, people and resources to another part of the world.  Those resources are then used to do things FOR and TO the people living in the poor community.  This interaction, while extremely well-intentioned, has most often resulted in creating dependence.  The situation of the poor does not improve, but instead, often worsens, and the people's dependency on and expectation of outside support tends to increase over time.  

We  partner with our friends and neighbors in Jamaica, to  help develop the communities where we live in positive ways -- socially, spiritually, and economically.  As the situation of the individuals living in the community improves, those individuals will be able to better love and care for their neighbors, decreasing the need for outside support.

To support this end, we have established policies within the RAISE community to provide for the poor.  One such policy is that 10% of farm profits are given to a "Community Advisory Board," who then distributes those funds as they see fit to care for the poor in their community.