www.FeedTheDream.org

2009 HIGHLIGHTS • Reachingoutto1000daily• Tzununá—ournewestvillage• CorngrinderinTzanjomel• Establishingandoverseeing8StrongFamilyCentersinmountaincommunities• Providing430ChristmasTamaleBaskets• BeingfeaturedintheSheridanRoadMagazine, Julyissue(visitwww.feedthedream.org,click

theEventstabtoviewimages).

FALL 2009 NEWSLETTER

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WHEN MAGIC HAPPENS

The above sums up Feed the Dream anditsapproachtotheindigenousinGuatemala.Someofourcurrentvillagesare:Cambalcol,ChoabajitoAlto,CruzNueva,Pacoxpon,Tzununá,ChuitzanchajandChuisacVarituc.Eachisasmallcommunitywithperhaps25families.Thisyear,morethananyother,Iwasamazedbythedramatictransformationofthesecaserios.Nowthereisanenergyinthepeople,andasenseofself-confidencethatisobviousandsignificant.Herearesomeofthehighlights.

• Improved health of the children and bigger babies born

• Nutritious meals learned and an understanding of their importance

• Women recognized their value and that of each family member

• Hygiene

• Socialization of the mothers while learning and at the same time early childhood stimulation

• Investment in their children with the value of girls and boys with school attendance for both

• Learned ways to supplement their income by selling bread, woven pieces, eggs, etc.

TheGuatemalanvillagersnowhaveasenseofpowerforhavingabetterlifeandremovingthemselvesfromsuchintensepoverty.Canyouimaginehowthismustfeel?Thisonlyhappensbecauseofyoursupport!

5 YEARS LATERIncredibleandexcitingtorealizethatthisisour5thyearforFeed the Dream!!Thankyouallforyourloyalandenthusiasticsupport.YouhavemadesomuchgoodhappeninGuatemala,asmallcountrywithoneoftheworld’smostmalnourishedpopulations.Afteryearsofinvolvementinmedicalmissionsasanon-medicalvolunteer,andaftertheadoptionofSarita,ourGuatemalangranddaughter,IfoundedFeed the DreaminNovember,2004,a501(c)3non-profitcharitythatworksinpartnershipwiththeindigenous.Thisyear,morethananyother,Iremainhappilystunnedatthedramaticturn-aroundofourvillages.Theimprovedhealth,vibrancyandself-esteemarealmosttangible.ThisonlyhappenedbecauseofYOU—yourdonations,timeandbeliefinourprogram.Mygratitude,aswellasthatof1000indigenousin14villagesinTheHighlandsofGuatemala,isbeyondwords.

“Matiox”……“Gracias”inKaqchikel

Sandy Haggart, Founder

If you encounter another people on their terms, open to the reality that their knowledge is as deep as your own, their insights as precise, their hopes and prayers as profound, then magic happens. — Wade Davis, anthropologist

Tzununá,ournewestvillage,means“hummingbird”inKaqchikel.Oddlyenough,inJan.,2004,IvisitedthereontheshoresofLakeAtitlanwiththoughtsofitsbecomingourfirstFeed the Dreamvillage!Ithasbecomeonesincetherenowexistspropersupervisionandaccountability.Onceagainourindigenousmiracle-worker,Micaela,isworkinghermagicwiththevillagewomen.InMarchwevisitedthissite,andaresidentanthropologistgraciouslydonatedapieceofpropertyforthewomen.Immediatelythelandwasclearedandabodega(shelter)wasbuiltsoournutritionprogramcouldbegin!

Thewomenmeet3timeseachweekforeducationonnutrition,mealpreparationwithadiversityofnutrients,hygiene,importanceofschoolforbothboysandgirlsandtimeforchildhoodstimulationfortheyoungerchildren.Thereisalsoroomforagarden,whichtheyclearedandplantedimmediately.Almost80womenandyoungchildrenarethegratefulparticipants.

UpthesteepmountainsideaboveTzununáisimpoverishedTzanjomel,anisolatedcollectionof25familiesof100people.Wearenotabletoestablishaprogramtherebecausethereisnolevelland.Theironedesperatewishwastohave

theirowncorngrinder.ThisMolinowouldsavethema1-hourwalkdownasteepmountainsideat4a.m.inthedarktohavetheircorngroundinanothertownandthenanotherhourreturnhiketomakethetortillasintimefortheirfamilytoworkorgotoschool.ThismomentousoccasionoftheMolinoinstallationwaslikesomethingoutofamovie.Thesettingwasbreathtakingwiththevolcanoesandlake—aswastheedgeofasteepmountaindropoff,wherewestoodandsharedinaceremonywithribbon-cuttingandwatermelon.Thethrillofstartingthegrinderwasawesomeaswasthedramaticimpactitwastomakeintheirlives.Theyeachsignedtheirnameswithapenorthumbprinttotakesharedownershipandmaintenance.Theirgratitudefortheirgoodfortunewasmadeverycleartous.

Tzanjomel'sonedesperatewishwastohaveacorngrinder.

IshowGuatemalanPresidentAlvaroColomdescribesthesituationinhiscountrywithregardstothecurrentmalnutritionandcriticalfoodshortage.IhaveneverseensuchadelugeofarticleschroniclingthiscrucialsituationinGuatemala.Readsomeofthefollowingexcerpts:

JuanRodolfoAguilar,GuatemalanSecretaryofHealth,FoodandNutrition,describedthesituationinGuatemala“precarious,veryunstablewithtendencytodeteriorateinthecomingmonths.”PrensaLibre,8/17/09

ThousandsofpeopleacrossGuatemalacouldfacestarvationduetoadropinfoodgrainproductionthisyear,areportsaid.SinceMay,thenumberofpeopleunderthehigh-riskcategoryhasincreased114percent,areportreleasedMondaybytheSecretariatofFoodandNutritionalSecuritysaid.ThePrensaLibrenewspapersaidtherehasbeen60and80percentdropincornandbeansharvests,respectively,thisyear.Thereportsaidhikeinfoodpriceshasthreatenedchildrenwithmalnutrition.PrensaLibre8/18/09

Onereasonthecountry’seliteseemblindtothemassivehungerproblemisthatthoseaffectedshowfewphysicalsymptoms.Guatemala’schronicallymalnourishedinfants

doeat,buttheirdietislowqualityandcarb-heavy,mostlytortillasandpasta.

Sothechildrenlookshortratherthanwasted.Beanshavebecometooexpensivefordailyconsumption,andfarmershavetosellofftheirvegetablesandeggsratherthanservingthemtotheirkids...theirnutritionaldeficitstakeadevastatingtoll—hinderingbraindevelopment,amongotherdisablingeffects.

Thecountry’sstarkincomeinequalitymeansthatruralareassufferfromalackofbasicinfrastructure.Cleanwaterandelectricityarealmostnonexistentinmanyvillages.Education,too,isscarce.Lessthan40percentofindigenouswomeninGuatemalaareliterate,comparedwithanoverallrateof85percentforLatinAmerica.Worsthitbythechronic

hungerarethecountry’sMayansandotherindigenouspeoples—mostofthemruralfarmers—whomakeupabouthalfofthepopulation.Insomeregionsofthecountry,malnutritionlevelstop90percent,amongtheveryhighestratesintheworld.S.Loewenberg,TheAtlantic,8/26/09.

Visit our website to view documentary video, www.FeedTheDream.org

"STATE OF PUBLIC CALAMITY"

Thetortillaisastapleinthedietofourindigenous.Withbeansitbecomestheir“survivaldiet”.Whenwehearthe“pat-pat-pat”intheirmaking,muchmoreisinvolvedthanmeetstheeye.Thewomanistheonewhoplantsthecornandlaterharvestsitanddriesthecobs.Sheshellsthecornandsoaksthekernelsovernightsothey’llbesoftenoughtobegroundatamill,ifsheislucky;otherwisetobegroundbyhandathometomakethemasaforthetortillas.Anaveragewomanmakes170tortillaseachdayforherfamily,atleast20foreachmember.Itisnotaseasyasitappears,asmanyofusknowfirsthand!Itisatimelesstraditionofmakingperfectcirclesofeventhicknesswithnocracksbeforeplacingitonthecomaltocook.Allherchoresarecompletedwithachildonherbackandmostlikelybeingpregnantwithanother.Thestrengthofthesewomenisphenomenalandnecessary.

Insomeregionsofthecountry,malnutritionlevelstop90percent,amongtheveryhighestratesintheworld.

IT’S NOT JUST TORTILLAS

Anaveragewomanmakes170tortillaseachdayforherfamily,atleast20foreachmember.

IknewIwouldbestretchedonthistrip,butIwassurprisedthatmyemotionswereinaconstantstateofspillingover.Iwastuggedbyeachandevery

experienceIhad.

…Mydelightinthebeautyoftheirdarkeyes,tanskin,blackhair,slenderwrists,softvoices,andtheirbrighthand-madeclothing

...Myacuteawarenessoftheirauthenticity,vulnerabilityandgratitude

...Mysenseofwonderthatthesewomenaresostrongthattheycouldexistinsuchtoughcircumstances

...Myfeelingofonenesswiththewomen...thatweshareaprideandjoyinbeingfriends,mothers,andstudentstobetterourselves,nomatterwhereweareontheladderoflifeskillsorcircumstances.

—Marcia Wharton, Harrisburg, PA

TheprecioussmilesonthefacesoftheGuatemalanchildrenandthoseproudlooksoftheMotherswiththeirbabiesare

expressionsthathaveleftapermanentimageinmymind.Theyhavesuchprideandself-esteemandaresogratefulthatafteralltheseyearssomeonehasfinallytakenthetimetoshowtheycare.Mothersarecongregatingandsocializingforthefirsttimeintheirlives.Theyareopeninguptoeachotherandlearningaboutnutrition,andjustbeingwomen,undertheteachingofMicaela.Sheisteachingthatit

isjustasimportantforgirlstoattendschoolasboys.Whenyouteachagirl,youteachafamily.

Thededicationofthecorngrinderwasadefinitehighlight.Watchingtheproudmenandthegratefulwomentakeownershipofsomethingsosimpleasacorngrindertuggedatyourheartstrings.Yes,Feed the Dreamisatrueexampleofhelpingagroupofpeopletohelpthemselves...acaseofhandup,nothandout.

—Pat Gillis, Northbrook, IL

Our guatemalaN trIP ImPreSSIONS

“marcia having fun with children”

Iwillsaythatoneofthethingsthatimpressedmethemostwastheabilityandtremendouspersonalqualitiesofthepeopleyouarecollaboratingwith

tohelpyouaccomplishyourdreaminthevillagesthatyouserve.TheoutstandingqualityofthesepeopleisatestimonytothehighstandardyousetforFeed The Dream,andIcongratulateyou.

“Dean in Pajomel”

IamstillsostruckbythesimplelivesoftheseMayancommunities.Inmanywaystheirlifestyleisbeautiful.Inmanywaystheirlivesareamazing.Justthe

thoughtthattheycansurviveonsolittleinthewayofnutrition,healthcareandhousingismindboggling.Thefoodsupplyisminimal.Whatdotheygettonutritionallysustaintheirbodiesifcornandsaltarethemainstaysofavailablenutrition?

Howabouttheneedforcommunityandsharing?Bringingtogethertheyoungmothersinacommunitytohelpeducatetheminnutrition,healthandsafetynotonlyimprovestheirlivesphysicallybutevenmoresoemotionally.Thedifferenceishugeinthewomen’sselfesteemandemotionalfortitudeinthenewFeed The DreamcommunitywiththecorngrindercomparedtothestrongercommunitiesinvolvedintheFeed The Dreamprojectforseveralyears.Onlythelackofinterestandgoodwishesfromthemorefortunateinthisworldkeepthesepossibilitiesfromhappening.Godplacedtheminabeautifulcorneroftheearth.Yourhelpwillallowthemtimeandhealthtoenjoytheirworldratherthancontinuallybattleagainstit.

—Anne Gallagher, Glenview, IL

PerhapstheexperiencewiththegreatestimpactformewashearingthemessagefromtheresidentsofTzanjomelconcerningtheirexperiencewithFeed

the Dream.Notonlydidtheyexpresstheirgratitudeandappreciationfordrasticallyimprovingtheday-to-daylivesofthevillagewomen,theyconveyedamessageofgratitudeforthehopeprovidedbyFeed the Dream.Theyexpressedtous,thatforthefirsttimeintheirlives,somebodyoutsidetheirvillagehadfulfilledapromisetothem.Somebodyontheoutsidecaredabouttheirwelfareandwell-being.

Ibelievethisfeelingofhopeandcaringisevenmorepowerfulthantherealityofthecorngrinderintheirlives.Ithinkitisimpossibleforustoimaginelivingalifewithoutanyhopeforhelporassistance,evenintimesofdireneed.Feed the Dreamprovidedthemthathope—theimpactofthataloneisimmeasurable.

—Coleen Reedy, Wilmette, IL

Our guatemalaN trIP ImPreSSIONS

ThespectaculareffortthatMicaelamakeseverytimeshewalkstwotothreehourstoservethevillagesofPajomelandChuitzanchajisunbelievable.GettingtomeetandspendadayinthevillageofCruzNuevatowitnessthepreparationoftheverytastyandnutritiousmealisevidencethatyourdream

isdefinitelybeingfed.Butforme,thehighlightofthetripwascollecting,deliveringandpersonallyplacingthevitaminsintothegratefuloutstretchedhandsofthewomenandchildren.—Dean Wharton, Harrisburg, PA

5TH ANNUAL GOLF & LUNCHEON EVENTOur 5th sell-out of our annual fundraiser was held on August 3rd! 198 ladies joined us for golf, lunch, raffles and silent auction. They enthusiastically made the outing our most successful day ever—a 45% net increase from the year before—$88,000! Everyone is thrilled and grateful for such results during these challenging economic times. This confidence and belief inFeed the Dream makes possible the gift of health for many. For pictures of attendees taken by Sheridan Road Magazine please visit www.feedthedream.org. Our 6th Annual Event will be Monday, August 2, 2010.

This past year, in addition to our loyal supporters, others reached out to Feed the Dream in various ways so more Guatemalan children could be served. We are most appreciative of their generous participation and enthusiasm.

—And valued vitamin drives by: • GlenbrookSouthHighSchool’sKeyClub• ChildDevelopmentClasses• Localpre-schools• GlenviewParkDistrict• GlenviewMethodist• GlenviewCommunityChurch

• NicoleThomasPhotography,Glenview,IL• ChurchoftheHolyComforter,Kenilworth,IL• OpenDoorLivinginAnchorage,KY• Ellen’sonElm,Winnetka,IL

HELPING HANDS

13 IS OUr LUCky NUmbEr—AGAIN! Isn’t Feed the Dream fortunate to have another runner as a superb supporter (Julie Crawford last year)! Our Board member Katy Knoer of Kenilworth, IL., (and recently Arizona) on June

7th ran the inaugural Chicago 13.1 half marathon as a way to celebrate her “round” birthday. “To mark this occasion and to express my gratitude for the blessings of good health, I am dedicating this race to the good work of my favorite charity, Feed the Dream...Did you know that The United Nations has made the worldwide improvement of Maternal Health one of its ten Millennium Development Goals?

My good friend, Sandy Haggart, founded Feed the Dream to combat the epidemic malnutrition of indigenous Guatemalan women of reproductive age and children under 5 years of age. Her grass roots efforts have led to material improvement in the prenatal nutrition and infant birth weight in 14 mountain villages. She is making a difference in the lives of 1,000 people every day, and I am inspired by the power of one person to change the world.” And speaking about the ‘power of one’, Katy raised $5,000!!

TAMALE BASKET SENSATION!ForthefirsttimelastyeartherewasanopportunitytodonateaChristmasTamaleBaskettoadestitutefamilyonChristmasEve.Itbecameaninstantsuccesswith430familiesreceivingone—notjustinourlakevillagebutnearbywhenourhelpwasrequested.Abasketfeedsupto12familymembersandprovidesthemwiththemakingsforthetraditionalmeal:oil,15lbs.ofrice,ablockofdrinkingchocolate,bread,leavestomakethetamales,achicken,raisins,abunchofredgrapes,sugar,salt,coffee,tomatoesandpumpkinseeds.Weeksbefore,ourindigenousMicaelataughtthemhowtomaketamales,somethingtheyhadneverdonebeforesincetheycouldn’taffordtheingredients.Then,muchtotheirgreatsurpriseandhappiness,aholidaypiñatapartywasheldforthewomenandbasketsweredistributed.Oneneedstorememberthatmosthavefinishedonly2ndgradeandneverhadachildhoodandcertainlyneverhavehadanythinggiventothem!

Thebasketsweighalmost45lbs.,andit’snotunusualforthemtowalkseveralhoursinthemountainsfortheirs.Thepicturebelowshowstheirpurejoy.Wouldn’tyoulovetohavebeenthere!Thereisawayyoucanbethereinspirit.Won’tyouconsiderdonatingbasketsat$50each?Feed the Dreamgiftcardscanbesenttothosepeopleinwhosehonoryouhavedonated.Theycanbeforholidaygifts,thankyous,teacherpresents,friends,specialeventsorsimplybecauseyoucareaboutsomeonewhoismuchlessfortunateandinneed.

LUNCHEONREUNIONforlocaltravelingcompanionstoGuatemalaLefttoright:S.Haggart,S.Ephraim,D.McKay,C.Reedy,A.Gallagher,M.RabjohnsFrontrow:P.Pollina,P.Gillis,M.Geraldson.Notpictured:I.Powers,P.Tilghman

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS• SandyHaggart,Founder,Glenview,IL• JustineCody,Winnetka,IL• JulieCrawford,Winnetka,IL• SusieEphraim,Wilmette,IL• GilHaggart,Glenview,IL• KatyD.Knoer,ParadiseValley,AZ• DonnaMcKay,Winnetka,IL• ColeenReedy,Wilmette,IL• PattyTilghman,Glenview,IL

ADVISORY BOARD• FrankB.Chauner,Northbrook,IL• HollyClark,Louisville,Ky.• WendyH.Ferguson,Winnetka,IL• Dr.WilsonH.HartzIII,Chicago,IL• SuePatterson,Antigua,Guatemala• ScottW.Petersen,Chicago,IL

Sandy Neville Haggart grew up in La Jolla, Ca. She received both her B.A. and M.A. from Northwestern University. She and her husband Gil raised their family in Glenview, Il, where they have resided for 44 years.

7 year old

With the current crisis of malnutrition and critical food shortage—We need you noW, more than ever.Yes,thesearedifficulteconomictimesforeveryone,butwecanhelpinawaythatiscrucialfortheindigenousbutnotlife-changingforus.Weknowthatyouhaveachoiceamongcharities,andwewillbegratefulifyouchooseFeed the Dream.

Donations may be mailed to: FeeD tHe DReAM

P.O. Box 2642, Glenview, IL 60025or donate online at www.feedthedream.org

All donations are tax-deductible as we are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, #30-0536205

email: info@feedthedream.org

Our missionistoestablishandoverseenutritionprogramsthatprovidefood,vitamins,healtheducation,hygieneandenrichmenttochildrenunder5yearsofageandwomenofreproductiveageinimpoverishedruralGuatemala.Weworkinpartnershipwiththeindigenous.

YOUR THOUGHTFUL GENEROSITYIS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!

Thereareseveralwaystogive:monetarydonations,stocksorin-kindcontributions.

$10,000 establishes a nutrition program center

$5,000 establishes and maintains 7 village gardens

for one year

$2,500 Six month’s salary for our indigenous nutritionist

and educator

$1,000 provides 111 women with folic acid and health care

$500 offers one pregnant woman a healthy pregnancy

with food and vitamins

$100 Provides an enclosed stove to prevent open-fire burns and

respiratory illness or two Christmas tamale Baskets

$250 Feeds one child with food and vitamins for one year