The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Southeast Brazil reported record results from its 2025 Mutirão de Natal (Christmas Effort) community assistance campaign, collecting more than 1,000 tons of food. Organizers said the donations were assembled into 20-kilogram basic food baskets to support families in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Espírito Santo.

According to organizers, the 32nd edition of the initiative mobilized local churches, schools, volunteers, partners, and donors across the territory. They reported that more than 50,000 families, many with two to three children, received assistance, representing an estimated 200,000 people reached.

Marcos Santiago, Adventist Solidarity Action (ASA) leader in Southeast Brazil, said the initiative is intended to go beyond food collection.

“Each kilo collected represents a gesture of empathy and care for others. The Christmas Food Drive mobilizes people of all ages and transforms donations into concrete hope for thousands of families,” he emphasized.

Local outreach and ongoing support

Organizers said the campaign also included local initiatives focused on care and hospitality. One example was a public supper organized by the Central Adventist Church of Campos dos Goytacazes in northern Rio de Janeiro. Held in São Salvador Square, the event served 92 people experiencing homelessness, with tables set for a full meal, including dinner, dessert, and juice.

Fernando Nunes, ASA coordinator and local project organizer, said preparations began months earlier with two outreach visits that included distributing snacks and building trust.

“These preliminary approaches were fundamental in creating a bond and trust. We wanted to show that the church was there to be together, to listen and welcome, and not just to deliver food,” he said.

In addition to emergency assistance, organizers said ASA initiatives in the region also include free workshops and short courses, such as sewing, crafts, cooking, and haircutting, aimed at supporting income opportunities for families. Leaders said the Campos dos Goytacazes project is expected to continue in 2026 with monthly outreach to people experiencing homelessness.

Creativity to encourage participation

In Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, local organizers used a “friendly competition” format to encourage involvement. Iara Lúcia Braz de Souza, ASA leader at the Central Adventist Church in the city, said the food collection was organized as a challenge among Sabbath School classes, with weekly rankings displayed during services. The church also used a symbolic “currency” called Esperança (Hope), distributed based on the amount of food collected and used during a concluding fellowship event.

Souza said the initiative was supported by weekly prayer moments. She reported that in the final week, the church collected three tons of food in seven days following a stronger appeal, which she said reflected increased engagement.

Growth across South America

Organizers noted that the campaign began in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro, initiated by Marly Azevedo and her husband, Sérgio Azevedo, at the Adventist Church in Botafogo, where the first edition collected 54,000 kilograms of food.

Sérgio Azevedo said the growth of the initiative over the years reflects the impact of coordinated community mobilization.

"We never imagined the project would reach this scale, and seeing it reach so many people is a reason for great gratitude to God," he stated.

According to organizers, between 2022 and 2024 the campaign collected more than 9.3 million kilograms of food. They added that the project now takes place in multiple South American countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay, which collectively collect an average of about three million kilograms of food each year for the initiative.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese news site.