Filling Bowls Around the World / Quarterly Newsletter

4th Quarter 2025

A meal not only nourishes the body, it allows the soul and mind to thrive!

Your unwavering support and encouragement for Filling Bowls Around the World (FBAW) fuel our mission every single day. We are continually humbled by the kindness and generosity of this community, and our gratitude runs deeper than words can say. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for walking beside us in support of these amazing children!

What "We" Accomplished in Q4

Filling Bowls Around the World (FBAW) added 7 new feeding centers in Q4, doubling the impact we have in Niger.  These new centers are in the Dantchandou region, where we are providing nutritious meals to an additional 750+ children daily.  This brings our total feeding centers supported to 13 and our average number of children fed 5 days a week to 1,450, effectively doubling the number of meals served each month to 32,000!

We recognize the critical link between access to food and economic opportunity for long-term change, which is why this expansion is so critical. By us taking on the support costs of the feeding centers, our partner, Effective Ministries has been able to increase their investment in the Dantchandou region by equipping families with tools and training to produce soap, laundry detergent, perfume and garden products, enabling them to generate income from sales to neighboring villages. Thus, your support is providing a critical lifeline that will lead to a sustainable future for these amazing people.

While we progress in Dantchandou, we haven't forgotten the original centers throughout Niger.  In those 6 centers, your donations have continued to keep the feeding centers running smoothly and nourishing 700-800 children with five meals a week.  We are grateful for the robust infrastructure at each of our feeding centers, which has ensured the continued nourishment of these remarkable children even in the face of political unrest and economic instability.

To see our current impact by location, visit our website

Our Commitment to You

We personally cover 100% of administrative costs, so every dollar you give goes directly to feeding children in need.

Click the link below to donate to our cause! Until we finalize our 501(c)(3) status, all donations are being processed through our partner, Effective Ministries.

Just $8 feeds a child for an entire month!

Giving Thanks for an Amazing 2025!

Special thanks to our incredible end-of-year donors who helped us with the final push to reach our year-end goals! Because of your generosity and others, in 9 short months WE were able to...

• Fully fund 5 centers by end of spring

• Meet the critical needs of our 6th center to save it from closing

• Incorporate the Dantchandou region, including 7 more centers in October 

• Increase the meals provided at each center from 3 times a week to 5

• Serve over 200,000 meals to children in need!

📸 Issoufou Alhousseini

Age 7 – Tillaberi Center

"My name is Issoufou Alhousseini, and I am 7 years old. My parents and I left our village Sakoira, a few kilometers from Tillabéri, to come here to Tillabéri due to conflicts with terrorists. We live in a tent made of sacks. Since we arrived in Tillabéri, I cannot even go to school. Before, it was very difficult to find food and drink water; we had to beg. I suffered a lot. Fortunately, my friends told me about the opening of a center where food is distributed for free and where teachings are given at the same time...Since I started going there, my life has changed. I am happy. I eat to my fill. I listen to teachings. Even if I do not attend school, at least I have a place where I can receive teachings. I thank God every day for the opening of this center in Tillabéri. I thank FBAW and Effective Ministries for this opportunity".

📸 Mrs. Hamsa

Village - Boundouwarou

"This feeding program with the assistance of FBAW, is a blessing for our village. Though this program, many families can guarantee at least a meal a day for their children. In a

certain period of the year, the situation of many families becomes worrisome due to lack of food, lack of money, and due to many sicknesses among the

children. In many villages of Dantchandou, just like my son Taher, a lot of children attend the feeding

centers to get a meal a day. As many other mothers, I want to express my gratitude and my joy for this

program that is a great relief for us.

I am so grateful to FBAW and Effective Ministries for allowing our children to eat and benefit teachings that are changing their lives'.

Looking Ahead to 2026: What’s Next

SUSTAINABILITY

While we have plans to continue to grow to support the severe needs in Niger and beyond, we are working to ensure an ongoing support level for our existing 13 centers.  We will NOT let these children down, which means we need to maintain and build on our monthly financial support to ensure those 13 centers can continue to serve nutritious meals each week without concern. To achieve this sustainability, we will:

• Work towards adding more consistent monthly and annual givers

• Support the 13 centers with the funds necessary for successful operations
• Identify ongoing needs, resources and infrastructure requirements for the centers

By achieving sustainability, we will create a path for prosperity for these 1,450 children and their families, as our efforts support the larger efforts that together fuel economic development initiatives that will begin to slowly change the landscape and the future for these deserving people.

We look forward to sharing more stories about how your financial support is creating the foundation for the inspiring joy and hope radiating from the people of Niger. 

Finally, whether you already know his story or are hearing it for the first time, we want to share about Kevin Rideout. Kevin is a Christian missionary who has faithfully served in Niger for 20 years. On October 21, 2025, he was kidnapped in Niamey by three unidentified armed men. Heartbreakingly, he remains missing, and there has been very little public information about his whereabouts or condition. We humbly ask you to continue lifting Kevin and his family in prayer, asking God to surround them with deep peace and to bring a swift and hopeful resolution to this unimaginable situation.

Other Ways To Get Involved

We understand that not everyone has the financial means to donate to us right now, so here are some alternate ways to support us!

• Pray for us and the communities we serve! 
• Talk to friends and family who could potentially help out.
• Spread the word!

If you have further questions about how you can help or simply want to chat with us, our inbox is always open! Please email us at info@fillingbowls.org with any questions or thoughts you may have!

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we are filling bowls and bring HOPE, one meal at a time!