Chicago area nonprofit "Trees That Feed" helping provide meals to dozens of countries

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A nonprofit in Northfield is making a difference in the lives of people in 22 countries – and they're doing it one plant at a time.

Mary McLaughlin, a retired artist who once created enamel painted boxes for the White House, and her retired financial engineer husband, Mike McLaughlin, co-founded Northfield-based Trees That Feed Foundation in 2008.

Mary and Mike were born and educated in Jamaica. When they retired, they wanted to dedicate their lives to giving back to others in their homeland.

"I knew that breadfruit trees could feed people, create jobs and help the environment," Mary said.

On a recent trip to Jamaica, a coalition from Uganda, Belize and Haiti arrived in the country to learn how to cultivate breadfruit and bring the knowledge back to their homelands.

"It has complex carbohydrates, amino acids, magnesium, potassium," Mary said of breadfruit's nutritional benefits.

"They can preserve the fruit to dry it, keep it for a long shelf life, turn it into other baked products as well," Mike said.

The non-profit's mission is carried out in the Caribbean, Central America, and Africa. With their partners, more than 350,000 fruit trees have been planted in 22 countries.

One of their partners in Haiti, Pierre Moise Louis, started planting breadfruit in his community, Jeremie, in southern Haiti, in 2012.

Now, twelve years later, he runs a nursery and bakery. He uses a solar energy dryer oven created by the foundation and Northwestern University to dehydrate breadfruit to create flour.

Trees That Feed has even received the Make It Better Philanthropy Award in the environment category.  Louis also teaches women through empowerment workshops to help them become financially independent through selling nutritional biscuits made from breadfruit flour. 

"It was something very important for the community, because they found a place to sell their breadfruit, and also they can get money to pay school, for it is like an income, you know, to pay school, to feed the children, everything," he said.

"Previously, they would earn a dollar or two a day, and they're quadruple, quintuple their income," Mike said.

Through the trees that have been planted to date, more than 500 million meals are provided for school children each year.

Since 2014, the organization has also given out 10,000 educational coloring books. They're printed in 12 languages, and the message inside has an important purpose.

"Now the student can become the teacher to their parents and siblings at home, and it's called 'Plant a Tree and Good Things Happen,'" Mary said.

To learn more about Trees that Feed Foundation and how you can help their mission, visit their website, treesthatfeed.org.