Chicago’s Morning Answer reported continued momentum this week in its annual Food For the Poor holiday campaign, with donations surpassing 60 percent of the fundraising goal and fewer than 1,000 children remaining on the organization’s list for year-long food and clean water support.
Dan Proft used the segment to thank individual donors and highlight the growing role of business benefactors, whose contributions are helping accelerate progress as Christmas approaches. Several Chicago-area companies joined the campaign during the broadcast, bringing the total number of children supported closer to the original target of 2,500.
Paul Jacobs, an on-air fundraiser and representative for Food For the Poor, said the timing of the campaign is especially meaningful as families prepare to reflect on the holiday season. He noted that each business benefactor gift of $2,500 provides life-saving food and clean water for approximately 33 children for an entire year, while smaller individual donations can still make a significant difference. With about 970 children still awaiting sponsorship, Jacobs urged listeners to consider participating during the final week of the campaign.
Jacobs explained how donations are converted into immediate relief across the organization’s network in Latin America and the Caribbean. In some cases, Food For the Poor purchases food locally to speed delivery and support recovering economies, particularly in areas recently devastated by hurricanes. In other cases, donated food is distributed through established supply chains. Central to the effort, he said, is the organization’s partnership with vetted local churches and ministry leaders who live in the communities they serve and know families by name.
He shared an example from Guatemala in which a local pastor was able to identify specific families in urgent need, underscoring the difference between sustained, community-based aid and short-term political handouts. According to Jacobs, these local partnerships allow Food For the Poor to operate efficiently across 15 countries despite having a relatively small central staff in the United States.
The campaign is also part of a broader relief effort responding to recent natural disasters, including hurricanes that have displaced tens of thousands of families. Jacobs said Food For the Poor has been assisting roughly 30,000 families affected by recent storms, helping ensure access to food not just through the holidays but into the coming year as communities rebuild.
Proft emphasized that while the Chicago campaign represents one market’s contribution, it plays a meaningful role in a larger national effort. He reiterated that the goal is not only to address immediate hunger but also to stabilize families so parents are not forced to leave home in search of work, allowing churches and communities to remain intact.
As the campaign enters its final stretch, organizers encouraged listeners to make end-of-year, tax-deductible contributions at any level. With Christmas less than a week away, both Proft and Jacobs framed the effort as an opportunity to translate seasonal generosity into tangible, life-saving support for children and families facing extreme poverty.