Ariana eats Vitafood in her home in Guatemala.
Hunger and malnutrition are serious problems in Guatemala and around the world. Unrest, economic problems and natural disasters create obstacles for countless families in developing countries, preventing them from earning enough money to buy food. For Ariana’s family, the economic situation in Guatemala meant that no matter how hard her parents worked, they couldn’t guarantee that their children would have enough to eat each day.
That’s why Cross Catholic Outreach partners with trusted sisters, priests and lay ministries to bring nutritious food to those who need it most. Vitafood meal packs are shelf-stable, protein-packed and fortified with key nutrients to help children like Ariana and her siblings grow and thrive.
During our last fiscal year, we shipped more than 28 million Vitafood meals to the hungry! This incredible impact was only possible through the generosity of faithful friends in the U.S. and beyond. We are deeply grateful to each one who participated in this work of mercy and love.
Will you join us today to fight hunger for families like Ariana’s in Guatemala, Haiti, Malawi and other developing nations? Your support will demonstrate God’s love for the poor in a powerful way.
With the gift of Vitafood, Ariana and her siblings are now enjoying three meals a day. $70 provides 1,000 meals for impoverished families waiting for a miracle. Join Cross Catholic Outreach in fighting hunger and malnutrition by donating today!
Hunger is a serious problem in Guatemala, where nearly half the population struggles to afford enough food to live on and the rate of malnutrition among children under age 5 is one of the highest in the world (World Food Programme).
Cross Catholic Outreach is honored to partner with the Diocese of Suchitepéquez-Retalhuleu to bring life-changing resources, including Vitafood, to the poorest of the poor in Guatemala. For many people in this rural area, subsistence agriculture and manual labor jobs are the only ways to earn a living. Vitafood shipments make a big difference for these hardworking families, ensuring food stability and delivering important vitamins, minerals and protein they might not otherwise receive.
With the support of faithful Catholics in the U.S. and beyond, the Diocese of Suchitepéquez-Retalhuleu is working to change lives in rural Guatemala. Their initiatives include agricultural programs and training, scholarships for poor students, safe housing for destitute families, clean water systems that benefit whole communities, and all-important nutritional assistance to fight hunger and malnutrition.
Join their transformational efforts today! Your gift will bring hope to families living in extreme poverty.
For Ariana, her siblings and her parents, Vitafood is an important part of their weekly diet. These shelf-stable meal packs are the basis for many meals in their modest home.
Although it can be difficult for this poor working family to put food on the table, Vitafood supplied by Cross Catholic Outreach and the local diocese ensure that Ariana can have three wholesome meals per day.
Sometimes her parents, Euelio and Olivia, are able to add special ingredients like chicken and cilantro to the food. Even when that’s not possible, Olivia is grateful. “Thank God, my children really love this rice meal. Sometimes, it’s all we have,” she said.
They are also grateful that Vitafood is made with essential vitamins and minerals for growing children.
Euelio said that they have seen the biggest difference in their son Jadiel, since he is the oldest. When the family began receiving Vitafood meals, they could see him quickly gaining the weight he needed to develop normally.
If you would like to help more families like Ariana’s, please consider making a gift today! Your generosity will change the lives of hardworking families in Guatemala and around the world.
Feeding Millions
Last year alone, Cross Catholic Outreach shipped more than 28 million Vitafood meals to impoverished families in Haiti, Guatemala, Malawi and beyond.
3x the Impact!
Because we secure donations of ingredients and rely on volunteers to help pack Vitafood, financial support for this project mainly covers the cost of shipping — meaning every dollar has three times the impact it would in the marketplace!
Vital Nutrients for Healthy Growth
Vitafood is specially formulated to meet the needs of the malnourished. Each meal pack includes:
Help give hungry families the nutritious food they so desperately need. Your gift will empower a global network of trusted ministry partners, including:
Among several other life-changing initiatives, the Diocese of Karonga aims to combat hunger and malnutrition through agricultural education and food supplements for poor families in the region.
With help from supporters like you, Cross Catholic Outreach is able to empower the diocese with specially formulated Vitafood meal packs.
Currently, the diocese is working with 250 families, and among those served, the rate of malnutrition in children under age 5 has drastically reduced!
Cross Catholic Outreach delivers Vitafood supplies to our partner in Peru, the Jesuit Mission (Misión Jesuita). In turn, this incredible organization distributes these supplies to those who are most in need.
Especially notable is the distribution at Heart of Jesus School in Jicamarca, just outside the nation’s capital of Lima. This school offers poor families in the area scholarships, food and spiritual formation.
With Vitafood, the school is able to offer its students a hot meal each day and food distributions for families to take home as well.
Once called “the darkest corner of Haiti,” Diocese of Hinche is now home to the Kobonal Haiti Mission, which provides incredible opportunities to children and families living in extreme poverty.
In addition to helping those in need obtain clean water, safe housing, education and more, the mission provides much-needed food.
Vitafood is a crucial part of its food distribution program. Shelf-stable, affordable and fortified with key vitamins, these protein-rich meal packs help hardworking mothers feed their children.
Supporters like you make this outreach possible. Thank you!
In Malawi, shipments of Vitafood are changing lives and lifting the burden of poverty.
At Cross Catholic Outreach, we believe that feeding the hungry is a powerful, tangible way to share the love of God with the poorest of the poor. By relieving the burden of hunger and fighting the effects of malnutrition, we can change lives and transform entire communities for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Join us today and help empower priests, sisters and lay ministries in developing countries with the resources they need to combat hunger and break the cycle of poverty. Your gift will change lives and bring hope to children and families in desperate need.
Use it for reflections and notes to grow in your spiritual life. You’ll also receive a prayer request form to mail back so that we can pray for your needs. In effect, this creates a spiritual bridge to connect you to our sisters and brothers in Christ in the developing world!
Cross Mission Partners also receive a semiannual Mission Update with news, insights and information about the good work and accomplishments made possible by your support.
Every dollar helps us bless the least of our brothers and sisters throughout Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Mexico & Central America and South America.
Thank You for Your Special Commitment to Serving the Poor!
The Cross Catholic Outreach Christmas Catalog makes it fun and easy to extend the joy of Christmas to the poor. Instead of being filled with retail items, the catalog contains meaningful gifts for some of the world’s most impoverished families. Some gifts are lifesaving items such as Food, while others are large projects such as Safe Homes or Clean Water. All gifts are sent on your behalf to grateful families in developing countries.
It’s easy to shop through the Cross Catholic Outreach Christmas Catalog. Simply browse through the categories and choose an item within your budget and close to your heart, such as Box of Joy or Catholic School Scholarships for children. Select and sponsor one or more of these gifts, and you’ll make a meaningful impact on the life of a needy child or family overseas. It’s that simple!
Blessing the poor happens year-round. Some gifts in our Christmas Catalog are sourced locally, so there is no need to worry about international shipping. For items that require shipping, Cross Catholic Outreach works with partners in every country we serve to ensure Christmas Catalog gifts are delivered in a timely fashion.
Yes! Making a gift in honor of a friend or family member is a fun and easy way to share Christmas joy. Once you complete the checkout process, let them know by sending a printed certificate or e-Card.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.
