Global Ministries Family Village Farm Endowment Fund
India
In 2004 Global Ministries established the Family Village Farm Endowment Fund. The Fund was established at the request of the Family Village Farm on the basis of several large one-time gifts from Global Ministries donors.
The Family Village Farm (FVF) was founded in 1969 by UCC missionary Dr. Pauline E. King for orphans and the destitute elderly in Kasam. The children mainly come from Kasam, which is a larger village near Katpadi, where the FVF is located (Velloreis the nearest city to Kasam and Katpadi). The children at the Family Village Farm are from extremely poor families, some having no parents or one parent who is not able to support them. There are ten to twelve children, a mother, and grandparents living in each cottage in a family-type group. The mothers and grandparents living with the children are also poor, usually homeless people. At any given time there are 150-200 children, 15 or more mothers, as well as grandparents residing at FVF. This ministry is a critical one for the children, but it also provides a home for elderly adults who would otherwise be homeless. These adults provide “families” for the children and help to care for them while benefiting from the housing and support.
The children at Family Village Farm go to school at the King’s Matriculation School (named for Dr. Pauline King), along with approximately 300 children from the area’s poor villages. Global Ministries has related to both the FVF and the King’s Matriculation School for many years.
The Family Village Farm Endowment Fund provides an opportunity for donors with a long-standing concern for poor children in India to give in a way that will assure the work of Family Village Farm now and in the future. Additional gifts to the Global Ministries Family Village Farm Endowment Fund, reinforces the ability of Family Village to serve the poorest of the poor.
Contributions may be made to the principal of the Family Village Farm Endowment Fund at any time. Gifts for the Family Village Farm Endowment Fund should be directed to Wider Church Ministries, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Questions regarding the Family Village Farm Endowment Fund may be directed to the Global Ministries Office of Resource Development, gifts@dom.disciples.org or (317) 713-2555.