Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Quarters for Haiti

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 26, 2013) – What can you buy with a quarter in 2013? Let’s see… a single gumball from a candy machine, maybe a couple pieces of candy from a local convenience store, or a few moments of dryer time at your local laundromat. But the truth of the matter is that about a quarter here doesn’t go very far, but it is all it takes to feed, not one, but four hungry children a meal in Haiti.

“In Haiti, more than half of the population, including two-thirds of the children, suffers from malnutrition. About 1 in 14 children die before reaching their fifth birthday,” said Robin Mahfood, President and CEO of Food For The Poor. “Many people are suffering in the world today, but it’s the truly poor who suffer the most; they’re often overlooked or simply forgotten. Many will be surprised to learn that this organization can feed four people one meal for less than 25 cents, and with a roll of quarters, we can feed a child a meal a day for about five and a half months.”

Food For The Poor has been helping to feed the poor in Haiti for 27 years. Through Food For The Poor’s “Quarters for Haiti” campaign, you can now help feed hungry Haitian children a meal of rice and beans for only 6 cents.

Food For The Poor is using social media to spread the word about the “Quarters for Haiti” campaign. A Facebook page was created to promote and explain how Food For The Poor is able to provide a meal for just 6 cents, and the impact it’s having on the countries we serve: www.facebook.com/QuartersForHaiti.
As a part of the “Quarters for Haiti” campaign if you text “quarters” to 25383, a roll of quarters (or $10) will be donated to help feed Haiti’s hungry.

It only takes six seconds to send a text, and if followed up by sending a tweet to friends and family, Food For The Poor can feed even more children.

Please donate your quarters and give lifesaving food to hungry Haitian children today:
www.FoodForThePoor.org/quarters.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

        



Monday, November 25, 2013

#GivingTuesday

COCONUT Creek, Fla., (Nov. 25, 2013) – We have a day for giving thanks, why not a day for giving back? For the second year, Food For The Poor has joined #GivingTuesday, an initiative to harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners – charities, families, businesses and individuals – to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season.

Coinciding with Thanksgiving, and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities. It will also inspire many to give back in better and smarter ways to the charities and causes they support, and help create a better world.

Taking place Dec. 3, 2013, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday will use the power of social media to create a national movement around the holidays, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days synonymous with holiday shopping.

“Food For The Poor is extremely honored be a part of #GivingTuesday. It is quickly becoming a global movement, which celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “It’s great to know that so many nonprofits, within the United States and internationally, are working together to make life better for as many people as possible.”

In 2012, more than 50 million people worldwide spread the word about #GivingTuesday resulting in a milestone trending on Twitter. The collective efforts of partners, donors and advocates also helped to fuel a marked increase in charitable giving.

Visit www.foodforthepoor.org/givingtuesday to support Food For The Poor’s #GivingTuesday initiative. You can also view the charity’s catalog video for creative ideas that will continue to change lives long after the holiday season has ended. For $10, you can give the gift of a fruit tree, or you can choose to give farm animals such as chickens, pigs, goats, donkeys and cows, which can provide an income and a source of nutrition for destitute families.

For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website www.givingtuesday.org, Facebook page www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday or follow the #GivingTuesday hashtag on Twitter.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.


        



Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Show house Partners

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 20, 2013) – Lighthouse Interiors has partnered with some of South Florida's top designers to design and showcase a multi-million dollar Lighthouse Point waterfront home, February 20-23, 2014. Proceeds from the event will be used to build Food For The Poor homes in Haiti.

Bridget Conway, Principal of Lighthouse Interiors, is supported by designers from ACP Home Interiors, Kenneth Crawford Design, Ellen de Vos of Michael Taylor Designs, Frances Herrera, Sonia Longchamp, Kendall Marcelle Design, and Sabrina Wilson of Lighthouse Interiors.

The exclusive Designer Show House 2014 VIP Reception will be Thursday, Feb. 20, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., at 2316 NE 30 Court, Lighthouse Point, Fla., 33064. The ticket price is $150 per person.

VIP guests will enjoy savories and cocktails as they tour the new construction of a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom, coastal-inspired home on the Ibis Waterway. El Tamarindo Café’s Head Chef Néstor "Alex" Amaya will prepare samples of his signature cuisine in the home’s gourmet kitchen. The evening will also include a spectacular silent auction, fashion show and music by Miami’s DJ UP.

The Designer Show House 2014 will be open to the general public on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 23, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Each day will feature a different event, and the ticket price is $30.

  • On Friday, Feb. 21, at 5:30 p.m., guests will enjoy an exclusive wine tasting.
  • On Saturday, Feb. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m., Champagne and sweets will be served.
  • On Sunday, Feb. 23, from 2 to 4 p.m., guests will be treated to the melodies of a steel pan, and a fashion show hosted by Noelle Swimwear.


The 10,000-square-foot residence, designed by Conway, boasts separate guest and pool houses, as well as unbelievable waterway views from almost every window. From the dock, boat owners will have quick access to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Hillsboro Inlet and lighthouse.

“This exceptionally stunning project is full of classic lines and clean elements, built with today’s lifestyle in mind,” said Conway. “The spectacular lighting with several chandeliers and an abundance of sconces throughout the home complement the rooms’ natural lighting.”

The free-standing tub in the master bathroom, and large shower adorned with iridescent Rivershell, or mother of pearl, embraces the home’s coastal, West Indies design.

For additional information and tickets, please call 888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/showhouse.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

        


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Jaci Velasquez

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 19, 2013) – “Behind these beautiful mountains is hidden some of the worst poverty you’ll ever see in your life,” said Jaci Velasquez, contemporary Christian recording artist and actress, as she stood in a lush flower-laden valley in the mountainous region of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.    

The poverty Velasquez witnessed in late October is a stark contrast to the 34-year-old entertainer’s daily life in Nashville, Tenn., where she’s an on-air personality on the Christian radio station 94 FM The Fish. Velasquez traveled to the Central American country with Food For The Poor to support the international relief and development organization’s radio feeding campaign.

During the three-day visit, Velasquez saw some of the best of what the country has to offer, but it was during a stop at the Piedra Rana Garbage Dump in Quetzaltenango that she also saw true poverty. She met Mercedes Gonzalez, a 31-year-old woman and her five young children, foraging through filth in search of anything that could be sold.     

“I am very poor and I don’t have anything. We work in the dump all day and we all sleep under a rock nearby at night,” said Gonzalez. “All that I earn here from the recycling is all that I have to feed my children.” 

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Velasquez has been singing professionally for 17 years, has sold more than 4 million albums and has had 16 number-one radio hits. The singer has graced the cover of 50 magazines and even had a role in the 2002 movie, Chasing Papi. A wife and a mother of two young boys, Velasquez says nothing has impacted her more than what she saw in the garbage dump that day.

“I’ve been on many mission trips, but this mission trip is the hardest thing I’ve seen and experienced because of the extreme poverty and the extreme need. This is their reality – I can’t even put it into words,” said Velasquez. “I know I am going to get a warm shower when I get home, but they can’t even get a clean glass of water. It doesn’t seem fair.”

For 13 years, Food For The Poor’s Radio Marketing department has traveled with its on-air personalities and radio hosts from across the United States to Jamaica, Haiti and Guatemala. As the radio hosts campaign for funding to help feed and house the poor, they also educate their listeners about the poverty that plagues parts of the Caribbean and Latin America.

“A celebrity like Jaci Velasquez could easily have written a check and moved on, but she took the time to travel to Guatemala with us and to see firsthand what daily life is really like for families who are truly destitute,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “We are extremely grateful that she has chosen to work with this organization and to help us help the poorest of the poor to receive some of the basic necessities in life such as clean water, food, and a safe place to sleep at night.”

Like the bright colors woven into the fabrics worn by the meekest of Guatemala’s citizens, their gracious spirit shines through, leaving a lasting impression on all who meet them.  

“They always send a blessing to us first, praying that God will protect us and keep us safe. They think of other people more than themselves. They are in need and we need to do something to help them,” said Velasquez.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

        


Monday, November 11, 2013

Race Helps Feed Children

Untitled Document
(L to R) Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at noon; Yohan Blake, Jamaican Olympic Gold medalist; and Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor's Executive Director.
(L to R) Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at noon; Yohan Blake, Jamaican Olympic Gold medalist; and Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor's Executive Director.

Related Items:

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 11, 2013) – More than 500 walkers and runners participated in Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger at T.Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park in Hollywood, Fla. on Saturday, Nov. 2, alongside Olympic medalist Yohan Blake. Participants raised funds to provide more than a million meals; enough to feed more than 3,400 children for an entire year in the Caribbean and Latin America.
 “I know what it is to be hungry and so I respect what Food For The Poor is doing,” said Blake, one of the world’s fastest sprinters.

The Honorable Franz Hall, Jamaica’s new Consul General to Miami, Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, and Jamaican Diaspora members were among those who helped make the event a success.
To make a donation or to watch video highlights from the event, please visit the charity’s website.

The 5K Walk/Run event sponsors included Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Charter Schools USA, Consul General of Jamaica, Dennis Charley & Associates, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, KPA Promotions, Orange Theory Fitness, Panda Express, Polyglass, Runners Depot, Sun-Sentinel, Tri-Rail, Vector Security, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, WATA, and Wells Fargo.

Bottles of WATA, Yohan Blake’s official sponsor, were distributed at the walk/run. Refreshments were provided by Corner Bakery, Dandee Donuts and Winn-Dixie.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.