Tessanne Chin

	Tessanne Chin
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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Jan. 9, 2014) – The winner of Season 5 of NBC’s The Voice, Tessanne Chin, will sing at Food For The Poor’s  Building Hope Gala, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 at The Polo Club of Boca Raton. Tessanne will perform her new single “Tumbling Down” to encourage attendees to replace poor families’ dilapidated huts in Ganthier, Haiti, with safe, permanent houses.

When asked how winning The Voice in December 2013 has changed her life, Tessanne says she keeps pinching herself.

“Tessanne’s reaction to the news that she won The Voice is similar to the immense joy and disbelief that destitute families experience when they are moved from their crudely built huts into sturdy Food For The Poor homes,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “Food For The Poor would like to thank Tessanne for generously lending her voice to lift families out of extreme poverty. The life-altering difference a new Food For The Poor house makes for families living in deplorable conditions is incredible. When a family expresses their gratitude for their new Food For The Poor house, it is not uncommon for them to refer to it as their piece of heaven.”

Building Hope Gala committee members Allison Venditti and Kara Seelye journeyed to the desert-like community of Ganthier with Food For The Poor in October to see firsthand the remote community’s needs. Both Boca residents were appalled by the residents’ living conditions. The barefoot children that emerged from the crudely built huts were covered in dust and malnourished.

“It is the worst situation I have seen,” said Venditti, a Building Hope Gala committee member. “The houses are made of little sticks and mud, with thatched roofs. These families are just trying to survive.”

Tickets to the Caribbean Carnival-themed Building Hope Gala are available at $250 per person. Please call 954-427-2222, ext. 6634 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca for additional information and sponsorship opportunities.

Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, will serve as the gala’s master of ceremonies for a second consecutive year. The evening also features an extensive silent auction, cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, and dancing. Bidding on silent auction prizes such as electronics, jewelry, vacations, golf and dining packages will offer guests opportunities to support the cause.

This year’s committee and Gregory Fried, owner of Gregory’s Fine Jewelry in Delray Beach, have devised a unique way to inspire gala attendees to contribute toward making a difference in the lives of others. For a donation at the event, guests will enter for the chance to win a stunning piece of jewelry donated by Gregory’s Fine Jewelry. The 18-karat white gold diamond earrings weigh 2.92 carats, and are valued at $6,000.

Jay DiPietro, President/COO/General Manager of Boca West Country Club, will be honored at the gala as the 2014 Ambassador For The Poor.

Committee members include Carlos Bodden, Matthew Bryant, Becky Carlsson, Kim Fox, Ronda Ellis Ged, Susan Krassan, Rene Mahfood, Dan Overbey, Tashia Rahl, Lauren Roberts, Kara Seelye, Deborah Shapiro, Renee Stetler and Allison Venditti.

Gala sponsors include AKA Printing and Mailing, Akoya at Boca West, Boca West Country Club, Dennis Charley & Associates, Inc., Dusco Doors, Ellis, Ged & Bodden, PA, Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Miller Construction Company, Quadriga Art, LLC, Seaboard Marine, ShowTurf, The Harcourt M. and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation, TD Bank, United Healthcare, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, The Wallace Family, Workaway International and The Boca Raton Observer.

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.

Reggae Entertainers Tarrus Riley and Dean Fraser To Perform at Food For The Poor’s Building Hope Gala

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Jan. 10, 2013) – Award-winning reggae artist Tarrus Riley and saxophonist Dean Fraser have partnered with the South Florida-based nonprofit Food For The Poor to help build desperately needed homes for the destitute in Jamaica. Riley and Fraser will perform at Food For The Poor’s annual Building Hope Gala on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013 at The Polo Club of Boca Raton.

Proceeds from the gala will build safe and secure new homes with sanitation for 65 impoverished families in Canaan Heights in May Pen, Jamaica. Attendees will be invited to create a legacy by pledging to build critically-needed houses during the charity’s live house-rally.Celebrated Jamaican-American reggae artist Riley is famous for his hit singles “Stay With You” and “She’s Royal.” The EME Awards (Excellence in Music and Entertainment) honored Riley as Male Vocalist of the Year (2011) and Cultural Artiste of the Year (2011). Riley also won the Youth View Award for Cultural Artiste of the Year (2011). In 2012, with the release of the acoustic album “Mecoustic,” Riley, Fraser and the Blak Soil band toured Europe.

Jamaican saxophonist Fraser has contributed to hundreds of reggae recordings, including the instrumental version of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” and toured extensively with Luciano. In 1993, he was awarded the Musgrave Medal by the Jamaican government in recognition of his services to music. Recently, the hit maker has been recording, producing and touring with singers Riley and Duane Stephenson.
For additional information regarding the 2013 Building Hope Gala, sponsorship levels, and tickets, available at $250 per person, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca.

Committee members for the 2013 Building Hope Gala include Laurie Braden, Kelly Brauner, Becky Carlsson, Melissa Davimos, Ronda Ellis Ged, Ronda Gluck, Michele Greene, LaMae Klos, Robin Ranzal Knowles, Julie Mahfood, Rene Mahfood, Pamela Matsil, Cathy Moabery, Jill Perea, Tashia Rahl, Kara Seelye, Natasha Singh, Renee Stetler, Holly Strogoff, Allison Venditti, Patricia Wallace, and Traci Wilson.

“The Building Hope Gala is not just a saying – we are building hope and homes for families,” said Becky Carlsson, a gala committee member, after her December 2012 trip to Jamaica. “I am amazed that it is 2012 and that people live in such extreme poverty.”
Master of ceremonies, Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, traveled to Jamaica in August to cover the island’s golden jubilee.

Gala sponsors include AKA Printing and Mailing, Aljoma Lumber, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Bank United, Bluegreen Corporation, The Boca Raton Observer, Dennis Charley & Associates, Inc., Dusco Doors, Ellis, Ged, & Bodden,  Franklin Dodd Communications, GA Telesis, Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Quadriga Art, LLC, Seaboard Marine, TD Bank, and VITAS Innovative Hospice Care.

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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Building Hope Gala Committee Members Journey to Jamaica

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Dec. 5, 2012) – Huddled inside a desperate family’s dark, dilapidated shack in Jamaica, members of the Building Hope Gala committee offered the promise of new Food For The Poor homes.

“We have poverty in our country, but the levels are just so different,” said Cathy Moabery, a gala committee chair. “I feel so much for the children. It’s not their fault. How can you not give them a bed to sleep on? How can you not give them a dry home?”
On Dec. 3, committee members from Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Lighthouse Point  and Parkland traveled to Canaan Heights in May Pen, Jamaica, with Food For The Poor to meet the residents and to see the community’s deplorable living conditions.
“Families with small children live crammed together in a space smaller than some people’s closets,” said Robin Knowles, a committee member. “They have no running water, no sanitation, no electricity, leaky roofs, holes in the walls, literally just pieces of tin patched together to make a home.”

One of the small dilapidated shacks they visited was home to a mother and her six children. She shared how rough and dangerous life is for her family. At times she has thought how much easier life would be if she was to run away and leave the children behind, but she cannot imagine leaving them. Instead, she prays and has kept a detailed diary documenting her tears, fears and frustrations.

“Overwhelmingly, the women want more for their lives but they are stuck,” said Laurie Braden, a committee member. “No help, no husbands, no income, and little to feed their children. I did see hope in all of them, but at the same time how stuck they are.”  Proceeds from the upcoming Building Hope Gala in Boca Raton will build safe and secure new homes with sanitation for 65 impoverished families in Canaan Heights.
“When you hear about the poverty in Jamaica, you can’t imagine the reality until you see it firsthand,” said Knowles. “The level of poverty is just shocking. Especially when we live in a place like Boca, and even though there are places in need locally, it just doesn’t compare.”

The 2013 Building Hope Gala will be Saturday, Feb. 2, at The Polo Club of Boca Raton. Attendees will be invited to create a legacy by pledging to build critically needed houses in Jamaica during the charity’s live house rally.

“The Building Hope Gala is not just a saying – we are building hope and homes for families,” said Becky Carlsson, a gala committee chair. “I am amazed that it is 2012 and that people live in such extreme poverty.”

For additional information regarding the 2013 Building Hope Gala, sponsorship levels, and tickets, available at $250 per person, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca.

“If people can’t attend the Gala, I hope they will consider making a donation toward a house that will drastically change someone’s life. Every donation helps,” said Carlsson.
The Building Hope Gala committee will host a pre-event on Dec. 6, in time for the holiday season. Join the committee for champagne and hors d’oeuvres at Gregory’s Fine Jewelry in Delray Beach’s The Addison Shops to purchase a dazzling piece of jewelry for your loved one. A portion of the proceeds from sales will be donated toward the gala’s homebuilding efforts in Jamaica.

Committee members for the 2013 Building Hope Gala include Laurie Braden, Kelly Brauner, Becky Carlsson, Melissa Davimos, Ronda Ellis Ged, Ronda Gluck, Michele Greene, LaMae Klos, Robin Ranzal Knowles, Julie Mahfood, Rene Mahfood, Pamela Matsil, Cathy Moabery, Jill Perea, Tashia Rahl, Kara Seelye, Natasha Singh, Renee Stetler, Holly Strogoff, Allison Venditti, Patricia Wallace, and Traci Wilson.
Master of ceremonies, Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, traveled to Jamaica in August to cover the island’s golden jubilee.

Gala sponsors include AKA Printing and Mailing, Aljoma Lumber, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Bank United, Bluegreen Corporation, The Boca Raton Observer, Dennis Charley & Associates, Inc., Dusco Doors, Ellis, Ged, & Bodden,  Franklin Dodd Communications, GA Telesis, Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Quadriga Art, LLC, Seaboard Marine, TD Bank, and VITAS Innovative Hospice Care.

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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. 

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Jolinda Wade’s Journey to Haiti: Mother of NBA Star Wants to Make a Difference with Food For The Poor

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 29, 2012) – It’s a hot October morning, and the sounds of shuffling feet are masked only by the joyful voices from a parade of people trotting along a well-worn path. The drum beat in the distance and a rustling wave of tree branches appear to be keeping this crowd in step.

This is a day of celebration for hundreds who were once homeless, but now have a home of their own in a new Food For The Poor built village in Olivier, Haiti. Right in the middle of this celebratory scene was Jolinda Wade, a pastor from Chicago, Ill. Pastor Wade, the mother of Heat star, Dwayne Wade, decided to take her first trip to Haiti with the international relief and development organization. She was able to see first-hand what’s being done by Food For The Poor to help the people of this Caribbean nation get back on their feet.

“Language-wise they may not understand everything you’re saying, but they do understand hopes, dreams, family and Food For The Poor,” said Jolinda Wade.
No stranger to hard times, Pastor Wade speaks and writes openly about her past struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, and her time in prison.  She also knows what it is like to be homeless. When an elderly woman invited her inside her crumbling mud hut, with only a few modest items and a wafer-thin mattress on a dirt floor, Pastor Wade stood speechless for a moment before sharing a brief glimpse into her past experience.  

“When I was in a homeless situation, we got into a building that we had to call home, and we had to sleep on a mattress, such as the mattress she has to sleep on,” said Pastor Wade. “We had to eat what we could eat, we had to bathe the best way we could bathe, and we had to use the bathroom the best way we could use the bathroom. But, I can say this here – never was one of those instances as bad as where I am now.”

Just as night is followed by the light of a new day, Pastor Wade and her four children have moved beyond that dark time in their lives. Son Dwyane Wade has been called one of the best NBA players in the world, and Jolinda is now dedicated to helping those less fortunate. She believes that with God, anyone can overcome their circumstances if they’re given an opportunity to do so – and she’s determined to help as many as possible to do just that.


“Pastor Jolinda Wade is a tremendous woman. She has such a passion for life and for making life better for others,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “There are many reports about what’s not being done in Haiti, so we’re honored that Pastor Wade was willing to travel with us to see how our caring, compassionate donors have enabled this organization to help one person, one family and one village at a time."
It was the loving support of the Building Hope Gala committee members from the communities of Boca Raton and Parkland, Fla., that helped to make the village in Olivier, Haiti, a reality for the hundreds of grateful new homeowners. Pastor Wade also had the privilege during her visit to present keys to the new homeowners and to tour the new houses. While in Haiti she also visited the Food For The Poor feeding center, Bernard Mevs Hospital and the Little Children of Jesus home for disabled orphans near Port-au-Prince.
“My time in Haiti has been bittersweet.  I laughed and cried a lot. As devastating as their lives had become, the thing that brought tears to my eyes was the faith of these people,” said Pastor Wade.

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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. 
For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Building Hope Gala committee members travel to Haiti to open doors

 Building Hope Gala committee members from the Boca Raton and Parkland communities traveled to Haiti Oct. 8-9 with the South Florida-based nonprofit Food For The Poor. They were celebrating the inauguration of newly constructed homes, built with proceeds from February’s gala, giving 50 families a new start in life.

“It is so great to know that our gala was able to build safe and secure homes for the people of Olivier,” said Becky Carlsson, gala committee member. “Because Haiti has been out of the media for a while, I think that people don’t realize that the devastation still exists. You should come and see it with your own eyes.”

In November 2011, committee members traveled to Olivier, Haiti, to see the community’s deplorable living conditions and to learn how they could help the nonprofit improve the residents’ lives.

“It’s really nice to be able to see something that you worked so hard toward,” said Allison Venditti, gala committee member. “There’s so much energy in this village. I got the impression that they feel powerful now and they believe they can do anything.”

 “I was unsure what to expect,” said LaMae Klos after her first day in Haiti. “What impressed me the most was the pride on the people’s faces. It was incredibly moving.”

Since the 2010 earthquake, Food For The Poor has built more than 3,899 permanent two-room homes in Haiti. Tropical Storm Isaac’s recent path through the Caribbean reminded many how vulnerable the poor are who live in tents and makeshift shacks.

“It was important for members of the committee to return to Olivier to rejoice with villagers on the completion of their village in only five months,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO. “The conditions that we have found so many needy children and their families living in are heart wrenching and unimaginable.”

The 2013 Building Hope Gala will be Saturday, February 2, at The Polo Club of Boca Raton. Attendees will be invited to create a legacy by pledging to build critically needed houses in Jamaica during the charity’s live house-rally.

Master of ceremonies, Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, traveled to Jamaica in August to cover the island’s golden jubilee.

“I saw the poverty with my own eyes and there is much work needed to be done to provide housing and assistance to the people of Jamaica,” said Martinez.

For additional information regarding the 2013 Building Hope Gala, sponsorship levels, and tickets, available at $250 per person, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca.

The Building Hope Gala committee will host a pre-event on Dec. 6, in time for the holiday season. Join the committee for champagne and hors d’oeuvres at Gregory’s Fine Jewelry in Delray Beach’s The Addison Shops to purchase a dazzling piece of jewelry for your loved ones. A portion of the proceeds from sales will be donated toward the gala’s home building efforts in Jamaica.

Committee members for the 2013 Building Hope Gala include Laurie Braden, Kelly Brauner, Becky Carlsson, Melissa Davimos, Ronda Ellis Ged, Ronda Gluck, Michele Greene, LaMae Klos, Robin Ranzal Knowles, Julie Mahfood, Rene Mahfood, Pamela Matsil, Cathy Moabery, Jill Perea, Tashia Rahl, Kara Seelye, Natasha Singh, Renee Stetler, Holly Strogoff, Allison Venditti, Patricia Wallace, and Traci Wilson.

Gala sponsors include Aljoma Lumber, AKA Printing and Mailing, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Bluegreen Corporation, Dennis Charley & Associates, Inc., Dusco Doors, Franklin Dodd Communications, Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Haiti Shipping Lines, Inc., Quadriga Art, LLC, Seaboard Marine, TD Bank, and VITAS Innovative Hospice Care.

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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. 

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.


Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Haiti houses funded in February will be finished in June

Construction has started on houses in Haiti pledged at February’s Food For The Poor Building Hope Gala in Boca Raton, Fla. This year’s gala raised enough money to construct 100 housing units, as well as a community center, and an animal husbandry project of 20 cows in Olivier, Deuxieme Plaine, Haiti.

“We were fortunate to have so many people support the event and donate money to build a home for a family,” said René Mahfood, Publisher of The Light Magazine and the event’s Honorary Chairperson in 2012. “We would like to thank each and every one of these generous donors for changing a life for a homeless family in Haiti.”

This year, guests pledged enough funding to construct a record number of homes to restore hope and to shelter the destitute in Olivier. Construction on the first 40 Food For The Poor housing units in this community are scheduled to be completed by the end of March.

“Food For The Poor’s house building plans in Olivier remain on track for completion in June,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “Food For The Poor’s extensive network of operations in Haiti uniquely positions the charity to be a leader in the reconstruction process. Since the quake, we have escalated our homebuilding in Haiti.”

Committee members plan to travel to Haiti in June to dedicate the Food For The Poor village they have worked hard to raise funds to build. Seven of the committee members traveled to Haiti for the first time in November. They witnessed firsthand the condition of the people and learned how the nonprofit continues to improve their lives and living conditions.

“We witnessed the desperate struggle that hundreds of thousands of people face on a daily basis,” said Ronda Gluck, an attorney at the Law Offices of Bill T. Smith Jr. in Boca Raton and a 2012 Event Co-Chairperson. “The basics of food, water, and shelter simply do not exist. The Building Hope Gala will provide homes for the homeless and hope for the hopeless, thanks to Food For The Poor.”

The Building Hope Gala committee members invite you to join them on May 3 at Arrigo Fiat of West Palm Beach from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for a cocktail reception and to pull the winning raffle ticket for a Gucci Fiat 500C 2-door black automatic convertible. Raffle tickets, starting at $50, can be purchased through the charity’s secure website www.FoodForThePoor.org/fiat. The Gucci Fiat 500C raffle sales will be used to continue building in Haiti.

“Our commitment is far from done,” said Cathy Moabery, a 2012 Event Co-Chairperson. “We plan to continue our support of Food For The Poor and its efforts to provide homes for one family at a time. We will continue to work all year to fulfill the dream of building many more homes in 2012.”

Committee members for the 2012 Building Hope Gala included Cathy and Abdol Moabery (Event Co-Chairpersons), Ronda and David Gluck (Event Co-Chairpersons), René and Francis Mahfood (Honorary Chairpersons), Becky Carlsson, Ronda Ellis Ged, Michele Greene, Julie Mahfood, Pamela Matsil, Kara Seelye, Natasha Singh, Allison Venditti, Patricia Wallace, and Traci Wilson.

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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Reggae star shakes up Building Hope Gala’s house rally, sets new record

Thanks to the compassion of 375 South Florida residents at Food For The Poor’s Building Hope Gala on Saturday, Feb. 4 at The Polo Club of Boca Raton, enough money was raised to construct 100 houses, a community center, and an animal husbandry project of 20 cows in Olivier, Deuxieme Plaine, Haiti. The gala coincided with Food For The Poor’s 30th anniversary, which will be celebrated on Sunday, February 12.

“I would like to suggest we are the voice for the voiceless,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor, as he addressed the guests and thanked the committee members for their commitment to the poor. “Every person here is a human key that can unlock a brighter future.”

The 2012 Grammy nominee and award-winning reggae artist Shaggy also performed at the nonprofit’s charity gala to shine a light on Haiti’s desperate need for permanent housing. He treated the crowd to Boombastic, Angel, It Wasn’t Me, and Sugarcane. Shaggy is a 2012 Grammy nominee for his new album, Summer in Kingston.

A video that documents seven of the committee members’ November trip to Haiti was shown at the gala to help those who have never traveled to a developing country visualize the inhumane living conditions of Haiti’s destitute.

“I witnessed firsthand the desperate struggle that hundreds of thousands of human beings face on a daily basis,” said Ronda Gluck, the Event’s Co-Chairperson as she shared her experience in Haiti with attendees. “Food, fresh water, toilets and shelter are things that are at a premium instead of in abundance. Food For The Poor, through housing projects like the one we are raising money for tonight, provides food for the hungry, homes for the homeless and hope for the hopeless.”

As the gala’s name implies, attendees gathered to create a legacy by pledging to build critically needed houses during the charity’s live house-rally. This year, guests pledged enough funding to construct a record 100 houses – to restore hope and to shelter the destitute in Olivier.

“No matter how much money you think has already been raised for the people of Haiti, it is simply not enough. The need is unimaginable,” said Gluck.

According to the Associated Press, the Haitian government has said the 2010 earthquake killed 316,000 people and displaced 1.5 million. On January 12, 2012, the AP reported that more than 500,000 are still in temporary settlement camps.

“My fear is that they are not safe,” said Rene Mahfood, the event’s Honorary Chairperson while in Haiti. “They don’t have a house, and they don’t have a door to keep people out. That is what they need – they need a home. They need a place where they can feel safe, where they can go to school and where they can learn and grow.”

Food For The Poor can build a permanent houses with a latrine for just $3,200. Food For The Poor homes are built with a strong corrugated zinc roof, a solid concrete foundation, cement block walls, windows for ventilation and a front door that can be locked.

Additional committee members include Cathy and Abdol Moabery (Event Co-Chairpersons), David Gluck (Event Co-Chairperson), Francis Mahfood (Honorary Chairperson), Becky Carlsson, Ronda Ellis Ged, Michele Greene, Julie Mahfood, Pamela Matsil, Kara Seelye, Natasha Singh, Allison Venditti, Patricia Wallace, and Traci Wilson.

The Building Hope Gala committee members invite you to join them on May 3 at Arrigo Fiat of West Palm Beach at 7:30 p.m. as they pull the winning raffle ticket for a Gucci Fiat 500C 2-door black automatic convertible. Raffle tickets, starting at $50, can be purchased through the charity’s secure website www.FoodForThePoor.org/fiat. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the car is $28,200. The Gucci Fiat 500C raffle sales will be used to continue building in Haiti.

This year’s committee devised a unique way to inspire gala attendees to contribute toward making a difference in the lives of others. For a donation, 100 guests pulled a playing card to see what they would win. Each card represented a unique gift. The grand prize was a pair of beautiful diamond earrings donated by Gregory’s Fine Jewelry in Boca Raton. Gregory’s Fine Jewelry also donated gift certificates for each bag.

Media master of ceremonies was Calvin Hughes, an Emmy Award-winning newscaster for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 News. For years, he has reported how nonprofits such as Food For The Poor continue to improve lives and living conditions throughout the world.

Event sponsors include Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Arrigo Fiat of West Palm Beach, Allison and Peter Venditti, TD Bank, N.A., Regal Home Health, Premier Aircraft Sales, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Jeffrey and Agnes Stoops, Dennis Charley & Associates, Quadriga Art. Inc, Haiti Shipping Lines, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami, Seaboard Marine Ltd., Dusco Doors, The Pereira Family, Bernuth Agencies, Inc., United Healthcare, Boca Home Care Services, Comerica Bank, The Ross Group of UBS, Mailing Service of Pittsburg, and Jox Sox.

Food For The Poor, 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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Grammy award-winning reggae star, Shaggy, shines light on Haiti’s housing needs

The 2012 Grammy nominee and award-winning reggae artist, Shaggy, has partnered with the South Florida based-nonprofit Food For The Poor to help build homes in Haiti. Shaggy is scheduled to perform at Food For The Poor’s annual Building Hope Gala on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at The Polo Club of Boca Raton.

Attendees will be invited to create a legacy by pledging to build critically needed houses during the charity’s live house-rally. For additional information regarding the Building Hope Gala, sponsorship levels, and tickets, available at $225 per person, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca.

Shaggy won a Grammy for his album “Boombastic,” and was nominated for “It Wasn’t Me,” “Clothes Drop,” “Intoxication,” and “Hotshot.” Shaggy won Billboard’s Male Artist of the Year and Male Album Artist of the Year in 2001 and was nominated at the 2002 American Music Awards as the Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist, Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and International Artist of the year. Shaggy has sold over 20 million albums to date and has had seven number one albums. Shaggy has also had eight number one hit singles with “Boombastic,“ “In the Summertime,” “Angel,” “It Wasn’t Me,” “Church Heathen,” “Bonafide Girl,” “Feel the Rush,” and “Sugarcane.” Currently, Shaggy is a 2012 Grammy nominee for his new album “Summer in Kingston.”

Although tremendously successful in his business ventures and his music, Shaggy has always lived on the premise that “to whom much is given, much is required.” With this belief, Shaggy has also taken on the role of philanthropist.

Similarly, in November, seven committee members from the Boca Raton/Lighthouse Point communities left the comfort of their homes to travel to Haiti with Food For The Poor. While in-country, the committee members decided this year’s Building Hope Gala goal would be to raise enough money to construct 100 housing units, a community center, and to initiate an animal husbandry project to include 20 cows in Olivier, Deuxieme Plaine, Haiti.

“It was a very sad day, but a great experience – a life adjusting experience,” said Rene Mahfood, the event’s Honorary Chairperson, after her first day in Haiti. “What we saw today puts everything in perspective. You think about how expensive life is back home and all the things you can’t afford. Then you realize that all those material things don’t matter. None of it matters. All that matters is having a roof over your head, being able to clothe your children and having food to eat.”

Committee members include Cathy and Abdol Moabery (Event Co-Chairpersons), Ronda and David Gluck (Event Co-Chairpersons), Rene and Francis Mahfood (Honorary Chairpersons), Becky Carlsson, Ronda Ellis Ged, Michele Greene, Julie Mahfood, Pamela Matsil, Kara Seelye, Natasha Singh, Allison Venditti, Patricia Wallace, and Traci Wilson.

Media master of ceremonies will be Calvin Hughes, an Emmy Award-winning newscaster for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 News. For years, he has reported how nonprofits such as Food For The Poor continue to improve lives and living conditions throughout the world.

Event sponsors include Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Arrigo Fiat of West Palm Beach, TD Bank, N.A., Regal Home Health, Premier Aircraft Sales, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Jeffrey and Agnes Stoops, Dennis Charley & Associates, Quadriga Art. Inc, Haiti Shipping Lines, Seaboard Marine Ltd., Dusco Doors, The Pereira Family, Bernuth Agencies, Inc., United Healthcare, Boca Home Care Services, Comerica Bank, The Ross Group of UBS, Mailing Service of Pittsburg, and Jox Sox.

Food For The Poor, 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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Boca committee members committed to Building Hope in Haiti

One way South Floridians can keep Haiti on the radar and continue to help the rebuilding progress is to attend Food For The Poor’s annual Building Hope Gala on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at The Polo Club of Boca Raton.

In November, seven committee members from the Boca Raton/Lighthouse Point communities traveled to Haiti with Food For The Poor. While in-country, the committee members decided this year’s Building Hope Gala goal would be to raise enough money to construct 100 housing units, a community center, and to initiate an animal husbandry project to include 20 cows in Olivier, Deuxieme Plaine, Haiti.

“It was a very sad day, but a great experience – a life adjusting experience,” said Rene Mahfood, the event’s Honorary Chairperson after her first day in Haiti. “What we saw today puts everything in perspective. You think about how expensive life is back home and all the things you can’t afford. Then you realize that all those material things don’t matter. None of it matters. All that matters is having a roof over your head, being able to clothe your children and having food to eat.”

Attendees will be invited to create a legacy by pledging to build critically needed houses during the charity’s live house-rally. For additional information regarding the Building Hope Gala, sponsorship levels, and tickets, available at $225 per person, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca.

“We’re blessed,” said Ronda Gluck, Event Co-Chairperson, after she visited a family in Cité Soleil who will soon receive a new Food For The Poor house. “We have no idea the luxuries we live in, compared to this house. I feel terrible. These families are blessed to be receiving a home.”

Travelers included Ronda Gluck, Rene Mahfood, Becky Carlsson, Julie Mahfood, Allison Venditti, Traci Wilson, and Kara Seelye.

Additional committee members include Cathy & Abdol Moabery (Event Co-Chairpersons), David Gluck (Event Co-Chairperson), Francis Mahfood (Honorary Chairperson), Ronda Ellis Ged, Michele Greene, Pamela Matsil, Natasha Singh, and Patricia Wallace.

“Hundreds of thousands of displaced Haitians have been forced to live under tarps and tents for almost two years,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO, who traveled with members of the Boca committee. “As a result of these inhumane living conditions, the spread of disease and waterborne illnesses have thrived, causing even more devastation.”

Media master of ceremonies will be Calvin Hughes, an Emmy Award-winning newscaster for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 News. For years, he has reported how nonprofits such as Food For The Poor continue to improve lives and living conditions throughout the country.

Event sponsors include Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Arrigo Fiat of West Palm Beach, TD Bank, N.A., Regal Home Health, Premier Aircraft Sales, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Jeffery and Agnes Stoops, Dennis Charley & Associates, Quadriga Art. Inc, Haiti Shipping Lines, Seaboard Marine Ltd., Dusco Doors, The Pereira Family, Bernuth Agencies, Boca Home Care Services, Comerica Bank, The Ross Group of UBS, Mailing Service of Pittsburg, and Jox Sox.

Food For The Poor, 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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com

Boca committee members open their hearts to Haiti

To kick-start the much anticipated 17th annual Food For The Poor Building Hope Gala, seven committee members from the Boca Raton/Lighthouse Point communities traveled to Haiti Nov. 7-9 with the South Florida-based nonprofit. The committee members traveled as ambassadors to witness first-hand the condition of the people and to learn how the nonprofit continues to improve their lives and living conditions.

“It was a very sad day, but a great experience – a life adjusting experience,” said Rene Mahfood, the event’s Honorary Chairperson after her first day in Haiti. “What we saw today puts everything in perspective. You think about how expensive life is back home and all the things you can’t afford. Then you realize that all those material things don’t matter. None of it matters. All that matters is having a roof over your head, being able to clothe your children and having food to eat.”

The gala will be Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at The Polo Club of Boca Raton. Attendees will be invited to create a legacy by pledging to build critically needed houses during the charity’s live house-rally. Last year’s energized crowd pledged to construct a record 60 housing units – to restore hope and to shelter the destitute in the Caribbean and Latin America. This year more than 350 caring South Florida residents are expected to attend.

“We’re blessed,” said Ronda Gluck, Event Co-Chairperson, after she visited a family in Cité Soleil who will soon receive a new Food For The Poor house. “We have no idea the luxuries we live in, compared to this house. It’s nothing. I feel terrible. These families are blessed to be receiving a home.”

“I don’t believe these people live in the same world that I do – only a two hour plane ride away,” said Kara Seelye, an event committee member. “It’s disturbing. You just don’t get it when you’re a Boca housewife. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. The only way we can build more houses for people is by sharing what we’ve seen. More people need to come and see it for themselves.”

Proceeds from this year’s Building Hope Gala will fund the construction of homes in Haiti. According to the United Nations’ shelter committee the catastrophic 2010 earthquake initially left 1.3 million people in Haiti homeless. Today approximately 600,000 are still without shelter. More than 2,400 two-room permanent homes have been built by Food For The Poor in Haiti since the January 2010 earthquake.

“It’s important for these people to experience poverty first hand,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO, who traveled with members of the Boca committee. “To see it, smell it and taste it. Then they know what they are raising money for, and how to do it – to help one family at a time.”

Travelers included Ronda Gluck, Rene Mahfood, Becky Carlsson, Julie Mahfood, Allison Venditti, Traci Wilson, and Kara Seelye.

Additional committee members include Cathy & Abdol Moabery (Event Co-Chairpersons), David Gluck (Event Co-Chairperson), Francis Mahfood (Honorary Chairperson), Ronda Ellis Ged, Michele Greene, Pamela Matsil,
Natasha Singh, and Patricia Wallace.

“Since Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake, the need for safe, permanent housing remains tremendous, said Mahfood. “Hundreds of thousands of displaced Haitians have been forced to live under tarps and tents for almost two years. As a result of these inhumane living conditions, the spread of disease and waterborne illnesses have thrived, causing even more devastation.”

Media master of ceremonies, Calvin Hughes, an Emmy Award-winning newscaster for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 News, will share stories from his journeys to Haiti at the event. For years he has reported how nonprofits such as Food For The Poor continue to strive to improve lives and living conditions throughout the country.

For additional information regarding the Building Hope Gala, benefactor levels, and tickets, available at $225 per person, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/boca.

The Building Hope Gala committee has organized a pre-event on Dec. 15, in time for the holiday season. Join the committee for champagne and hors d’oeuvres at Gregory’s Fine Jewelry in Delray Beach’s The Addison Shops to purchase a dazzling piece of jewelry for your loved ones. A portion of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the charity’s gala.

Event sponsors include Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, TD Bank, N.A., Regal Home Health, Haiti Shipping Lines, Seaboard Marine Ltd., Dennis Charley & Associates, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Mailing Service of Pittsburg, and Jox Sox.

Food For The Poor, 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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com