Ferdinand Mahfood co-founded Food for the Poor, a Christian non-profit that provides aid to the hungry in Latin America and the Caribbean. Food for the Poor collects donations from the United States and Europe to fund programs that address hunger through food distribution as well as other initiatives that help the poor, such as housing, healthcare, education, and clean water projects. Since 1982, Food for the Poor has provided over $11 billion in aid, building over 91,000 housing units and distributing food and other aid through 66,000 shipping containers. The organization keeps administrative costs low at less than 5% so that 95% of donations directly support programs that help those in need.