Tuesday, August 12, 2014

A Legacy of Hope

Loss of a Child Inspires Legacy of Hope in Haiti

Remembering how Julie could not even swallow water at the end of her life, proceeds from a past benefit dinner was used to share the gift of clean water with children in Haiti.
(L to R) Food For The Poor President/CEO Robin Mahfood, Paul O'Connor, Florette Sokulski. Remembering how Julie could not even swallow water at the end of her life, her parents wanted proceeds from a past benefit dinner to provide clean water to children in Haiti.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Aug. 12, 2014) — A Chicago couple committed to preserving the memory of their late daughter is encouraging others to help raise money to improve the lives of the destitute through Food For The Poor.

The ninth annual benefit dinner established to celebrate the life of Julie Sokulski Hesser will be Wednesday, Sept. 10 at The Seville Banquet Hall, 700 S. Barrington Road, Streamwood, Illinois.  Proceeds from this year’s event will be used to cover the monthly operating costs of Bernard Mevs Clinic in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

“Julie was resilient, and she was tough – like the Haitian people,” said Florette Sokulski, outside the pastel orange and green Haiti hospital in 2012. “Even in her worst, painful days, and those lasted about seven years, she would always say, ‘I just want to help somebody.’ And now I see how she is helping.”

When Andy and Florette lost their beloved daughter at the age of 32, they were inspired to help others by Julie’s strength, faith and courage during her final days. They began raising money in 2006 with Father Medard Laz and members of the Holy Family Catholic Community in Inverness, Illinois, to create a living legacy in honor of their daughter through Food For The Poor projects.

Since 2011, proceeds from the fundraiser in Streamwood have been used to modernize the Haiti hospital by building operating and recovery rooms, and purchasing new equipment.

“This is the best we have now in Haiti,” said Dr. Jerry Bitar to Julie’s parents. “I want to say first thank you for what you do. Not for us but for the poor people in Haiti.”

The Bernard Mevs Clinic’s Pediatric Care Center provides the desperately poor with quality outpatient services, emergency treatment, laboratory diagnostic services, surgical procedures, medications, and long-term chronic disease management. The clinic also offers services and resources that promote prevention and wellness care among women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Through educational awareness programs, the hospital makes heathier lifestyles available to patients and the community at large.

“By serving the poorest of the poor, they are saving lives,” said Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor’s Executive Director. “The poor need all types of surgeries, and if it weren’t for the doctors and the staff at the Brevard Mevs Hospital they would be sentenced to simply die at home. They cannot afford to go to a private hospital or to pay anything at all. So they come here with full assurance that they are getting superior quality medical treatment.”

Aloma is the evening’s keynote speaker. Master of ceremonies for this year’s benefit dinner is former WGN Radio newsman Lyle Dean. The evening also will feature a silent auction and dinner with friends and members of the surrounding communities. Bidding on silent auction prizes will offer opportunities for guests to shop and support the cause.

For additional information about sponsorship opportunities and tickets, please call 888-404-4248 or email carolc@foodforthepoor.com.

“The loss of a child is written in the heart in indelible ink,” said Aloma. “But by doing something like this, it brings new life into the world. It really honors the person who has gone to the Lord, and it really gives comfort to the parents to know that their loved one’s passing has brought hope and life to so many others in her name.”

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.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Anchor to Lead Race

WPLG-TV’s Eric Yutzy to Lead Charity’s 5K Walk/Run

Eric Yutzy, co-anchor for WPLG-TV Local 10 Morning News.
Eric Yutzy, co-anchor for WPLG-TV Local 10 Morning News. 

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Aug. 11, 2014) – Eric Yutzy, co-anchor for WPLG-TV Local 10 Morning News, will join walkers and runners as they raise money to feed starving families at Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger, on Saturday, Nov. 8, at T.Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park, 3300 North Park Road, Hollywood, Fla.

”I’m honored to be standing with and walking alongside Food For The Poor in their quest to provide relief and hope to the Caribbean and Latin America,” said Yutzy, who has spent the last 11 years as an award-winning sports anchor.

Donations to this year’s event will stretch twice as far, as a generous donor has agreed to match every dollar raised with an additional dollar’s worth of food. Proceeds will provide lifesaving food to destitute families in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Participants can register at www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk. While on the event website, supporters can register to take advantage of tips designed to help reach fundraising goals. Information about how to earn community service hours and how to download Facebook cover photos for the charity’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger is also available online.

Cost of pre-registration is $25 for adults (14+), and is free for participants 13 and under. Registration is $30 for adults on the day of the event. All registered participants will receive a T-shirt. There will be refreshments, music, balloon artists, an appearance by Billy the Marlin (the official mascot of the Miami Marlins), and face painters at this family event. Race timing will be provided by AccuChip.

Handcrafted tin-art medallions from Haiti will be awarded to first-, second-, and third-place finishers in each age bracket for runners. The striking sun-shaped medallions were created by Louisdjy St-Jour, a Haitian metal artist who lives in a Food For The Poor-built home in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti. St-Jour is an example of the Haitian people’s determination to thrive and become self-sufficient.

Participants who raise more than $100 will receive a goody bag full of gifts from local businesses and unique items from the countries Food For The Poor serves. These supporters also will have the satisfaction of knowing that their donation has helped to feed starving families. For $102.20, Food For The Poor can feed seven families for a month.

For more information, please call 954-427-2222, ext. 6854 or email RachelP@foodforthepoor.com. Participants can register the day of the event. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., and the Walk/Run begins at 8:30 a.m., with the awards ceremony to immediately follow.

The event’s presenting sponsor is Toshiba. Additional event sponsors include Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Cruise Planners, Dennis Charley & Associates, DCA Insurance, Herbalife, Iberia Bank, Jamaica Tourist Board, Kind Snacks, Orange Theory, Panda Express, Paw Depot, Publix, Rockers Movement, Seaboard Marine, Square, Sun-Sentinel, TD Bank, Tri-Rail, Vitas Innovative Hospice Care, Waste Management and Wells Fargo.

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.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Pope Francis Village

Rockford Residents Poised to Build
Their Biggest Village Yet in Haiti

Jeff Lemke traveled from his hometown of Cary, Illinois, to Dumas, Haiti, to meet the residents who will directly benefit from the proceeds raised at this year's annual gala.
Jeff Lemke traveled from his hometown of Cary, Illinois, to Dumas, Haiti, to meet the residents who will directly benefit from the proceeds raised at this year's annual gala. 

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Aug. 8, 2014) – The Hope for Haitians Board and Food For The Poor invite you to attend the 13th annual An Evening in the Tropics, Saturday, Sept. 6 at Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention Center, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford, Illinois.

The Hope for Haitians Board has set an ambitious goal for participants of An Evening in the Tropics gala supporters. This year’s proposal includes building new homes for 90 families in Dumas, Haiti, complete with kitchenettes, latrines, and solar lanterns. The village will be named the Pope Francis Friendship Village. Additionally, the planned community center and a cassava bakery will be available to the more than 1,500 residents who reside in the area. The Association For The Development of Dumas (ADD) will assist farmers in marketing and selling the products produced at this facility. 

“So many of the faithful gave up more than chocolate this past Lent,” said Tom Lorden, a Founding Trustee of the Hope for Haitians Board of Directors. “Their sacrificial giving is allowing Hope for Haitians to help more families than ever.” 

Ten residents from the Rockford/Chicago area traveled to Haiti February 24-27 with Food For The Poor, to meet the destitute families in Dumas that are relying on them to make this year’s An Evening in the Tropics gala a success.

Two of the travelers, Pat Bachrodt and Greg McQueary, also are members of the Hope for Haitians Board.

“It was certainly one of the most memorable few days of my life,” said McQueary. “I have already taken steps in an effort to find additional contributions.”

Additional members of the Hope for Haitians Board include: the Rev. David Beauvais, Virginia Canavan, William Clancy, Patti Cottrell, Michael Delany, Bill Kalma, Danny Lorden, Tom and Nancy Lorden, Bob McLaughlin, Philip Nicolosi, Patti Rangel, Peter Roche, Andy Schultheis, and the Rev. Geoff Wirth.

Master of ceremonies for this year’s An Evening in the Tropics is veteran broadcast journalist Mike Robinson. The evening also will feature a cocktail reception, silent auction, and formal dinner with friends and members of the surrounding communities. Bidding on silent auction prizes such as electronics, jewelry, vacations, golf and dining packages offer opportunities for guests to shop and support the cause.

The Most Reverend David J. Malloy, the ninth Catholic Bishop of Rockford, will deliver the invocation.

For additional information about sponsorship opportunities and tickets, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/rockford.

Travelers on the February trip to Haiti included Pat Bachrodt, Colin Gregory, Justin Kegley, Jeff Lemke, Greg McQueary, Pat Meyer, Sr. Rita Mary Ann Phalen, Miguel “Mike” Saltijeral, Jr., Rev. Tim Seigel, and the Rev. John “Steve” Stephen St. Jules.

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, August 5, 2014

Man to Walk 500 Miles

Texas Man to Walk 500 Miles for the Poor

Patrick Hall (24), Maura Hall (23), and Conor Hall (24), left to right, have decided to join their father for his 500-mile journey along the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. Funds raised will benefit Food For The Poor and two other charities. Photo courtesy of Food For The Poor, www.FoodForThePoor.org/camino
Patrick Hall (24), Maura Hall (23), and Conor Hall (24), left to right, have decided to join their father for his 500-mile journey along the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. Funds raised will benefit Food For The Poor and two other charities.

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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (August 5, 2014) – With much faith and a desire to raise awareness about the needs of those who are often forgotten, Thomas Hall is preparing to embark on the challenge of a lifetime. Beginning on the first week of September, Hall will begin a 500-mile walk along the Camino de Santiago, an ancient Christian pilgrimage route in northern Spain.
 
The inspiration for his walk began many years ago when Hall, 15 at the time, was grieving the loss of his father, who had died from cancer at the age of 61. Struggling to cope, Hall decided to join some of his high school friends on a retreat to learn about a fundraiser sponsored by the American Freedom from Hunger Foundation.

Inspired, they decided to participate in a 26-mile walkathon the following year. The walk was part of a nationally coordinated event in which more than 150,000 people participated, walking over 2 million miles and raising more than $1 million dollars to fight hunger.

“The walk was always important to me because it was the first step in a larger transition that included learning how to channel my grief into something meaningful,” said Hall.

Now, decades later, Hall experienced the same itch to walk again. Hall will not be walking alone, however. Three of his four children, twin sons Patrick and Conor, age 24, and daughter Maura, age 23, have decided to join him on his 500-mile journey. They will celebrate his 60th birthday along the way.

“My father has dreamed about walking the Camino for a long time now,” said Conor Hall. “He has always supported my dreams, no matter how crazy they seemed, and now I get to reciprocate and help him in going after his.”

With The Leo J. Dowd Foundation pledging to match the first $5,000 raised, Hall hopes to raise $30,000 in pledges by Aug. 15. The money raised will be donated to Food For The Poor and two other charities. Inspired by Food For The Poor’s mission to bring clean water to those in need, Hall hopes to raise enough money to build two water wells that could provide water to more than 8,000 people in Haiti.

“When we learned about Mr. Hall’s mission we were moved by his compassionate desire to raise awareness about the needs of the truly destitute,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “The fact that he will be walking 500 miles to provide clean water for those who have to walk miles every day in search of water, which is often contaminated, is truly amazing. On behalf of the people we serve, we want to sincerely thank Mr. Hall for his generosity.”

To help Hall reach his fundraising goal to bring water to those in need, visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/camino  or http://pilgrimspurpose.weebly.com/ to make a secure donation.

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.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Sackpacks for Orphans

Food For The Poor Thanks
Office Depot Foundation

Food For The Poor Executive Director Angel Aloma, far right, thanks Office Depot Foundation staff and President Mary Wong, to left of Aloma, at the Sackpack Event on Friday, Aug. 1, at a Fort Lauderdale Office Depot store.
Food For The Poor Executive Director Angel Aloma, far right, thanks Office Depot Foundation staff and President Mary Wong, to left of Aloma, at the Sackpack Event on Friday, Aug. 1, at a Fort Lauderdale Office Depot store. 

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Aug. 4, 2014) – The Office Depot Foundation has donated 5,000 sackpacks to the international relief and development organization Food For The Poor. The charity will distribute the sackpacks, filled with essential school supplies, to children in its Angels Of Hope program.

Through Food For The Poor’s Angels Of Hope program, caring donors sponsor more than 4,000 children in 120 homes. These homes are dedicated to serving orphaned, abandoned, abused, and malnourished children in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Trinidad.

The Office Depot Foundation has been donating to the Angels Of Hope program and FFP-supported schools for the past three years, with a total of 14,000 sackpacks donated since 2012.

“These are more than just book bags, these sackpacks are filled with hope and dignity. This is particularly important for the children we serve, who have had very little childhood until they experience the loving care of one of our homes,” said Food For The Poor Executive Director Angel Aloma. “I can’t tell you the excitement it generates when these sackpacks are distributed to the children in our countries. They feel remembered, they feel loved.”

The National Backpack Program is in its 14th year, and has made a difference to 3.3 million children.

“Each and every year, the smiles on the faces of the children who receive our sackpacks and school supplies warm our heart,” said Office Depot Foundation President Mary Wong.

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.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Meet Jamaica's New Exec

New Executive Director to Lead Food For The Poor’s Jamaica Office

David Mair, Food For The Poor-Jamaica’s new Executive Director, poses for a portrait during his visit to the headquarters of Food For The Poor in Coconut Creek, Fla., on July 31, 2014.
David Mair, Food For The Poor-Jamaica’s new Executive Director, poses for a portrait during his visit to the headquarters of Food For The Poor in Coconut Creek, Fla., on July 31, 2014. 

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Aug. 1, 2014) – Food For The Poor-Jamaica’s new Executive Director, David Mair, visited the headquarters of Food For The Poor in Coconut Creek, Fla., on Thursday, where he was introduced to the organization’s directors and their staff.  

“This is a great opportunity for me to give back,” Mair said. “I feel it’s important to educate the public, and the nation of Jamaica as a whole about the many projects Food For The Poor is providing to improve the quality of life for families in need.”

Mair is a well-known businessman who spent nearly 20 years with the Jamaica Broilers Group. His most recent position was Managing Director of Tropical Battery, the oldest distributor of automotive consumer products and batteries on the island, before joining Food For The Poor in July.

“We are looking forward to working with Mr. Mair and are counting on his executive international experience and his track record of increasing productivity, while reducing cost. His skills are an asset for a nonprofit organization such as Food For The Poor,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “We depend on the support of the private sector and our loving donors to help the truly destitute. By the grace of God, this organization has helped thousands of Jamaican families in one way or another over the past 30 years, and this continued support is needed in order to help Jamaica’s poor out of poverty.”

Mair will oversee a staff of 115 dedicated employees at the Food For The Poor-Jamaica office and warehouse complex, located in Spanish Town. Food For The Poor has completed more than 250 projects in Jamaica over the past five years. One such project was the Jamaica 50/50 campaign, in which the organization committed to building or replacing 50 schools within 50 months in honor of the island’s 50 years of independence in August 2012.  Food For The Poor will complete this project in December 2014, two-and-a- half years ahead of schedule. The next goal will be to build 25 additional schools.

According to published reports, some 1.1 million Jamaicans  are living below the poverty line, fueling an intergenerational crisis. Many believe that education holds the key to breaking this cycle of poverty on the island, but that takes time.

One immediate step is providing families with a safe and secure home. In 2013, Food For The Poor, through the generosity of donors, constructed 2,456 housing units throughout the country. Since inception, the charity has built 37,538 housing units island-wide, and has committed to building 1,200 two-room permanent homes each year in Jamaica.

One key project the new executive director would like to see implemented as quickly as possible is the expansion of the Rural Economic Agricultural Program (REAP). Jamaica’s rich soil already provides the foundation for growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. These crops not only will provide food, but also a profit for farmers, cultivating sustainability and strengthening the family unit.

“Coming from an agricultural business background, I feel it’s very important for Jamaicans to be aware of all the self-sustaining programs that have not been tapped into. There’s room for experience and growth in that area. Many don’t know how important agriculture is in Jamaica, we have the natural resources and we want to teach people how to work and grow the land,” Mair said.  “There’s tremendous opportunity for corporations in Jamaica to work with Food For The Poor to expand these agricultural projects.”  

The 16 Food For The Poor fishing villages in Jamaica, another ongoing project that has proven successful, are located throughout coastal communities on the island. The charity will continue to monitor and train the fishermen to become even more productive with environmentally sound fishing techniques.

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.