Senior & Youth Hunger Relief Grant| Ministry Partner Grant

Jorge & Carmeli Silva

Donate

When you donate to the Senior & Youth Hunger Relief Grant, you help provide consistent, nutritious meals and compassionate care to elderly individuals and vulnerable families in the city of Caimito. Your generosity supports a long-standing, Christ-centered ministry that serves those who have been forgotten—restoring dignity, meeting daily needs, and sharing the hope of Jesus through both physical nourishment and spiritual care in an oppressed nation.

This grant meets the following criteria as outlined in the Alabaster Foundation Criteria for Ministry Partnership:

  • Jorge & Carmeli Silva are actively working to expand the Kingdom of God through pastoral care, humanitarian aid, economic and leadership development.

  • Jorge & Carmeli Silva are serving as full-time missionaries primarily in Cuba and expanding to other countries in Latin America.

  • Jorge & Carmeli Silva operate within the partnership and oversight of Standing Stone Ministries and Agua De Vida (Water of Life Missionaries)

This grant of $5,000 provides:

  • 150 elderly individuals

  • 20 children living in vulnerable conditions

stable meals once a week, for a year - increasing reliability, dignity, and hope for those who depend on this ministry.

THE COMMUNITY FACES A SIGNIFICANT FOOD ACCESS & HUNGER CRISIS.

Approximately 38% of the population experienced food insecurity, meaning they struggled to secure enough calories and nutrition on a consistent basis.

Nearly 97% of community members report difficulty accessing food due to rising prices and declining purchasing power, while one in four people admit to going to bed hungry. As scarcity and cost continue to rise, 72% of households have resorted to unhealthy alternative diets, with many families reducing meals to just once or twice per day. Basic government food rationing programs no longer reliably provide essential items, and long delays and shortages are common. Limited access to foreign currency and ongoing economic contraction have further reduced food availability and imports, forcing many households to spend the majority of their income on food—or rely on informal support and community aid simply to survive.

Community of Love.

For decades, elderly individuals in Caimito have faced increasing hardship. Many older adults live with limited income, little to no family support, and inconsistent access to food. What was once daily assistance has now been reduced to just two or three days per week due to financial strain—leaving many unsure where their next meal will come from.

The Community of Love feeding program was founded in 1986 as a quiet act of obedience—preparing meals for the elderly and vulnerable even in the face of opposition. Over time, the ministry grew into a holistic care program that now serves not only seniors, but also children, individuals with disabilities, single mothers, and victims of domestic violence.

Today, the ministry:

  • Provides free, nutritious meals to older adults living in poverty

  • Serves approximately 200 people per day, directly and indirectly

  • Operates a self-sustaining organic farm to support ongoing food programs

  • Offers health-focused activities, emotional support, and spiritual encouragement

Beyond physical nourishment, each gathering of Community of Love becomes a place of connection—where seniors are reminded they still have purpose, value, and a light to shine for Jesus.

Holistic Approach to the Ministry.

  • Servant Project International - ministry to youth

    Nourishment

  • Spiritual Encouragement

  • Physical Education

  • Micro-Farming

  • Development of Vocational Skills

Feed the Vulnerable,
Change Everything.

Empowering the elderly and vulnerable population with not only meals, but micro-farming and vocational skills can have a profound impact on poverty reduction from a socioeconomic perspective.

  • While feeding programs meet immediate survival needs, vocational and micro-farming skills help individuals regain agency and self-sufficiency. Even small-scale income generation—gardening, food preservation, sewing, crafts, or agricultural labor—reduces long-term dependency and restores a sense of purpose and contribution.

  • When elderly needs are met, limited household resources can be redirected toward children, education, and basic stability. This prevents families from making impossible choices between feeding grandparents or investing in the next generation—helping interrupt long-term poverty patterns.

  • Work restores identity. For many elderly and vulnerable adults, vocational engagement communicates that they are still valuable, capable, and needed. This dignity has a profound effect on mental health, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life.

Meet Rosa Maday García García

Rosa Maday García García was born into a humble Christian family and raised under persecution for her faith. Ordained in 1995, she has devoted her life to serving the Church and her community with unwavering faith and resilience.

She currently serves as:

  • President of the Church of God in Christ

  • Jurisdictional Supervisor of the denomination

  • Pastor of Bethel Missionary Center, located in Artemisa Province

Under her leadership, the Bethel Missionary Center oversees the Community of Love Senior Care Program, which has provided physical and spiritual support to more than 150 elderly individuals living in extreme vulnerability. Founded by her father over 30 years ago, the program continues today with a holistic approach—combining feeding programs, spiritual discipleship, agricultural development, and vocational training for women.

Rosa’s life and ministry stand as a testimony to faithful service, compassion, and perseverance.

Meet Jorge & Carmeli Silva

Jorge and Carmeli Silva have served in ministry for over four decades, united by a deep love for Jesus and a heart for people. Married since 1983, they have been part of the Water of Life family since 2003 and helped launch Agua de Vida, a thriving Hispanic congregation.

After Jorge’s retirement from Cal Poly Pomona—where he was honored as Faculty Emeritus—the couple stepped fully into full-time missions throughout Latin America, a ministry focused on:

  • Strengthening pastors and church leaders

  • Providing humanitarian aid

  • Supporting economic development and sustainability

For the past eight years, Jorge and Carmeli have partnered closely with local leaders, walking alongside ministries like Community of Love to bring both practical help and spiritual encouragement. Today, they serve under the covering of Standing Stone Ministry, helping leaders flourish in healthy, sustainable ministry.