NORTH STOCKTON ROTARY CLUB
SEEDS OF HOPE PROJECT

This international club project was started in January 1993 by the NORTH STOCKTON ROTARY CLUB. SEEDS OF HOPE has provided charity vegetable seed to many Rotarians, Peace Corps volunteers and concerned individuals interested in helping the very needy people of the world.

SEEDS OF HOPE has a long-standing relationship with a very supportive group of Rotarians in Central America. This started when we made our initial visit to the UNIENDO AMERICA Project Fair in 2000. SEEDS OF HOPE has been a major supporter of the Programa Escuelas Saludables (Healthy Schools Program) in Honduras. The Office of the First Lady, the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa and numerous Rotary Clubs in North America have worked together to provide fresh vegetables to the children in the public school system. Approximately 2000 school gardens have been established at various schools throughout the country. It is estimated that 250,000 school children are enjoying fresh vegetables as part of their daily diet.

Another major benefactor of the SEEDS OF HOPE Project is the Peace Corps. About 20 volunteers are working closely with local villagers to provide guidance and training in establishing many community and family gardens in Central America.

A medical doctor in the Democratic Republic of Congo has a very successful garden project with many communities in that country. She calls her project WAR ON HUNGER.

Individual Rotarians expand their ongoing international projects by taking seed with them and distributing the seed to local leaders in many different countries. These cooperative projects are very successful in reducing hunger in specific areas of the world. A few countries that benefit from this cooperative approach include: Guatemala, Uganda, Peru, Mexico, Belize, Kenya, Panama, Romania, El Salvador and Liberia.

To date 80 Rotary Clubs and 25 humanitarian organizations have distributed about 28,000 pounds of vegetable seed. Another 300,000 garden packets of vegetable seed have been shipped throughout the world to help feed some of the most destitute people in the world.

For More Information, Contact: MELVIN C. HANSEN

9584 Theresa Circle

Stockton, CA 95209-1459

Telephone/fax: (209) 477-0462

E-mail: mhansen62@att.net

Individuals interested in knowing more about the project or looking for a source of vegetable /flower seed please email: Melvin Hansen

Lincoln Interactors and the Seeds of Hope