WASHINGTON D.C. - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), recently awarded 30 grants totaling $8.6 million to 23 U.S. based non-profit, private and voluntary organizations (PVOs), under USAID's International Food Relief Partnerships (IFRP) program.

The IFRP program enables USAID to administer grant awards to U.S. based PVOs for the preparation and storage of shelf-stable pre-packaged food and for the delivery and distribution of those commodities in developing countries.

USAID has approved over 100 IFRP grants since the program began in 2001. The program targets nearly 40 countries and has provided millions of servings of food to those in need.

"This small but unique program has not just helped people around the world but broadened the base of our traditional partners by allowing many smaller PVOs the opportunity to successfully engage hunger on a global scale," said Jeff Borns, USAID's Director of Food for Peace.

"The program will allow countless hungry people, who might not have otherwise been fed, to receive food aid this year, which we and our partners can be proud of," Borns added.

Throughout the world, IFRP grant recipients use the funds and food commodities for a variety of projects aimed at enhancing food security. In Haiti, for example, Convoy of Hope (COH) will target thousands of malnourished people to provide temporary sustenance and on-going health and nutrition education. Halfway across the world in Uzbekistan, the Resource and Policy Exchange (RPX) uses a grant to feed thousands of disabled children, the elderly and those suffering from multi-drug resistant forms of tuberculosis.

In 2009, funding for the commodity was provided to Breedlove Dehydrated Foods, and grants for distribution of the commodities were provided to ACTS International, Amigos Internacionales, Batey Relief Alliance, Catholic Relief Services, Center for International Health, Children's Hunger Fund, Church of Bible Understanding, CitiHope, Convoy of Hope, Coprodeli USA, Counterpart International, Cross International, Evangelistic International Ministries, Fabretto Children's Foundation, Feed the Children, Food for the Hungry, Haiti Vision, International Partnership for Human Development, International Relief and Development, Nascent Solutions, Inc., Project Concern International, Resource and Policy Exchange, and World Help.

For more information about the International Food Relief Partnership program please go to http://www.usaid.gov/ Keyword: Food for Peace