700
THOUSAND +
Children saved
from malnutrition
26
HUNDRED +
Farmers trained
in best practices
88
Haitian workers
employed in
our factory
144,000
anemic school
children treated with
MFK products
Our Mission

Meds & Food for Kids is dedicated to meeting the essential nutritional needs of malnourished children, pregnant and nursing women and school children using Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs) produced in our factory in Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

By transferring skills and knowledge to our Haitian workers and engaging farmers to source local raw materials, we break the cycle of poverty and sustainably stimulate economic development.
Learn More
700,000+
Children saved from malnutrition
2,600+
Farmers trained in best practices
88
Haitian workers employed in our factory
134,000
anemic school children treated with MFK products
Photo collection encompassing Meds & Food for Kids focus areas. A man in field for agriculture. A school aged girl eating our product for nutrition. An MFK employee in factory for job focus. Pregnant woman on scale with nurse assisting for prenatal care.
"I’ve worked on many (some very large) programmes in my time at the World Bank, but that grant to MFK in 2007 might be the one that has achieved the most impact, over the long-term."
    PETER HOLLAND, Lead Education Specialist, World Bank
“My daughter couldn’t stand or walk because she was so sick… I came here and they gave her the Mamba and she started to get better… I see her improving every day”
PIERRE FREDLINE, Mother
“We have a total of 300 students and we serve the kids Vita Mamba everyday to keep them healthy”
FRANCOIS BLAISE MARIE GINA, Third Frade Teacher
“Employment has really meant a lot to me…I can provide for myself 100% with my salary and…it really has helped me and my family”
JEAN ALEX PIERRE, Production Supervisor
What's New

Information about our events, news, and updates about our work.
Subscribe
Zero Hunger: Doing What Works

“Zero Hunger: Doing What Works” 

Meds & Food for Kids Launches a Public Forum Focused on Proven Solutions to End Hunger

ST. LOUIS – May 9, 2023 - The inaugural forum of “Zero Hunger: Doing What Works” will take place on June 8, 2023, engaging leading experts in a public discussion that focuses on the global hunger catastrophe and proven strategies aimed at achieving the United Nations' goal of a world free of hunger by 2030.


The forum is presented by Meds & Foods for Kids in partnership with:

  • Boeing Institute of International Business
  • Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
  • Missouri Botanical Garden
  • The Farm Journal Foundation
  • Nine PBS
  • The Yield Lab Institute
  • The Harlan Company

The United Nations’ Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all member states in 2015, is a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” Their Sustainable Development Goal 2 is “Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.” Meds & Foods for Kids is part of the international solution, saving the lives of over 700,000 children with ready-to-use therapeutic food produced in Haiti and distributed to 17 other countries in partnership with UNICEF.

However, the combination of climate change and conflict is transforming the hunger crisis into a catastrophe affecting an entire generation of children around the world. Food insecurity has more than doubled since 2020, and acute malnutrition affects 60 million children globally, putting them at imminent risk of death, illness and long-term, irreversible  developmental impairments. For the first time ever, there are more children in need of therapeutic food to treat malnutrition than can be produced with current infrastructure.

A daily treatment with ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for just a few weeks is successful with 92 percent of malnourished children treated. This miracle answer for starving children can be used anywhere, is highly effective, can be administered at home by any adult, portable, has a long shelf life and doesn’t require refrigeration or clean water. Yet, it’s available to just one in five of the severely malnourished children who need it.

Zero Hunger: Doing What Works is a public discussion featuring a keynote address by Roger Thurow, expert on global famine and hunger, and author of numerous articles and books on the impact of hunger, starvation and famine. Following his comments, Lora Iannotti, PhD will moderate a question and answer session. Dr. Iannotti, professor at Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis has specialized expertise in maternal and young child nutrition and nutrient deficiencies. Patricia B. Wolff, MD, is the founder and medical director of Meds & Foods for Kids. Dr. Wolff will share her perspective from three decades of experience in Haiti where local workers produce ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), distributed to 17 additional countries by UNICEF.

About the Forum:

Thursday, June 8, 2023, from 11:00am - 2:00pm at The Ritz-Carlton 100 Carondelet Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63105.
See Tickets and sponsorships 

About the Speakers:

Roger Thurow is senior fellow on global food and agriculture with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.  He is an award-winning 30-year veteran a former foreign correspondent with the Wall Street Journal, where he reported on famine and hunger. He is recognized internationally and has authored several books, including: "The Last Hunger Season: A year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change," "Enough: Why the World's Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty," and "The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children."

Lora Iannotti, PhD, professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, applies epidemiological methods to investigate interventions aimed at reducing stunted growth and development. Dr. Iannotti leads projects in Haiti, Ecuador, and East Africa. She is founder and director of the E3 Nutrition Lab, working to identify economically affordable, environmentally sustainable, and evolutionarily appropriate nutrition solutions globally. Prior to pursuing her PhD at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Iannotti worked for over ten years with UN agencies and non-governmental organizations on nutrition and food security programming and policy. 

Patricia B. Wolff, MD, is the founder and medical director of St. Louis-based Meds & Food for Kids which manufactures ready-to-use-therapeutic food (RUTF), distributed to 18 countries in partnership with UNICEF and others. Dr. Wolff founded the organization in 2003. She has been recognized for her service to children with numerous awards, including Humanitarian of the Year Award from the World Affairs Council, and the Global Stewardship Award from the St. Louis Peace Corps Association. Dr. Wolff is Professor Emerita of Clinical Pediatrics at Washington University.

About Meds & Foods For Kids

Now in its 20th year, Meds & Food for Kids is dedicated to meeting the essential nutritional needs of malnourished children, pregnant and nursing women and school children in 18 countries using ready-to-use-therapeutic food (RUTF) produced in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. By transferring skills and knowledge to Haitian men and women and engaging farmers to source local raw materials, Meds & Food for Kids breaks the cycle of poverty and sustainably stimulates economic development. https://www.mfkhaiti.org/

May 9, 2023
Solution Soleil: Solar Saves Lives
Solution Soleil: Solar Saves Lives

Ten years ago, MFK opened its Cap-Haitien factory where approximately 400 metric tons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is produced each year.

The need for a sustainable energy source was apparent: to save as many lives as possible, MFK began a Capital Campaign in 2021 to bring solar power to the factory. We are proud to announce that we have now achieved this goal, and a newly-installed solar array now provides nearly 100% of the factory’s energy!

From hand-powered, to diesel, to solar: a look back

In Haiti, energy is not a guarantee. When MFK started making Medika Mamba, no electricity or machinery was available. Peanuts for the RUTF were ground with the help of a local street grinder and, later, with a hand grinder. Then a bicycle wheel, motor, and a car generator were added to grind peanuts more efficiently.

MFK steadily developed new ways to meet the demand for Medika Mamba. The team was working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to grind peanuts by hand and produce larger volumes of RUTF.

Soon enough, MFK gained the attention of UNICEF and other global organizations wanting to purchase Medika Mamba. A small-but-mighty operation was no longer sufficient, and so MFK began raising money to build a factory. The Cap-Haitien factory was finally operating in 2012, powered by diesel fuel.

Operations ran smoothly, RUTF was being made and distributed across Haiti and 17 other countries. However, in 2021 Haiti fell into a state of disarray due to the COVID-19 pandemic, political unrest, an earthquake, and on top of it all, a shortage in diesel fuel. Production at the factory suffered as a result.

Knowing the uncertainty of using diesel as a primary energy source, MFK was already preparing a solution. In January 2021, a Capital Campaign launched to raise $1.5 million for “Solution Soleil” to bring solar power to the factory. While the campaign progressed MFK’s factory team persevered through more challenges over the next two years and managed to nearly double production despite nationwide shutdowns in 2022.

March 29, 2023: Solution Soleil brings a brighter future to MFK and Haiti, with the installation of a solar array with 680 solar panels! Diesel shortages and other obstacles will no longer prevent MFK’s production of Medika Mamba, and as a result, more malnourished children will be saved.

This year, MFK is on track to save the lives of over 100,000 children. The introduction of solar power to the factory will make a sustainable, life-changing difference for malnourished children and mothers in Haiti and around the world. Meds & Food for Kids is extremely grateful for the immense showing of support through Solution Soleil to Save Lives, Give Hope, & Transform Futures.

April 21, 2023
Give STL Day 2023: Join MFK on May 10th

On May 10th, Meds & Food for Kids is participating in Give STL Day* to raise funds for life-saving Medika Mamba to treat malnourished children.

This year, our goal is to raise $10,000 - enough to provide treatment for 141 children.


Help us reach this goal by creating your own Give STL Day fundraiser for Meds & Food for Kids:

> Go to https://www.givestlday.org/mfkhaiti

> Click on the “Fundraise” button on the top right of the page

> Login to your donor account, or create one to proceed.

Customize your Fundraising Page:

  1. Create a title for your fundraiser
    Examples:
    “Pat’s Fundraiser for Meds & Food for Kids”
    “Fundraiser to Save Malnourished Children”
  1. Create a custom URL
    Examples:
    patsMFKfundraiser
    savechildrenwithMFK
  1. Set a goal - this can be any amount of your choice
  1. Choose a “Hero Image” - options for these can be found on MFK’s main Give STL Day page, or you can create your own
  1. Add your “story” - tell your friends why you are fundraising to save thousands of children with MFK!
  1. Save your fundraiser (please note it may take up to 2 hours for your fundraising page to show publicly)
  1. SHARE your fundraising page!  Fundraisers are only successful when they are shared - copy your unique URL to share with family, friends, and other contacts by email and social media.

On behalf of thousands of malnourished children and their families,
THANK YOU
for supporting Meds & Food for Kids this Give STL Day!

Still have questions?

Contact Melissa George, Fundraising Manager
mgeorge@mfkhaiti.org
/ 314-619-9451

*Give STL Day is a day of charitable giving in the St. Louis area, home to the Meds & Food for Kids US office. Learn more at https://www.givestlday.org/content/about

April 24, 2023