Miami Philanthropists Crazy About Helping Others

Looking for a memorable night on the town and an opportunity to donate to charity? You are invited to experience Miami’s newest ocean view restaurant, “Crazy About You” on Brickell Bay Drive, Oct. 2. The event, chaired by Kimberly Bacardi and hosted with restaurant owners Carlos Galan and JC Chamizo, will raise money for the Food For The Poor and Florida Marlins “Homes For Haiti” campaign.

During Bacardi’s eye-opening travel experience throughout Haiti with Food For The Poor and a group from the Florida Marlins, she realized how she and others can make a difference in Haiti – one person, one family at a time. Event proceeds will be used to construct the Good Karma Community Center in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. The center will provide a place for a health clinic and vocational training classes. Extra funds will be used to fulfill other needs within the community – housing, solar power and animal husbandry projects, for example.

“I encourage others to donate to this cause – only an hour and a half by plane from Miami we can move people out of garbage-filled swamps and slums, into new homes, a new village,” said Bacardi. “You also have an opportunity to travel with Food For The Poor on a mission trip to see how your donation positively affects change.”

The evening’s events will honor Bina Fink, and include live entertainment by Ariel Rose, and a sit-down dinner prepared by Chef ZeCarlos. RSVP to Kim’s Good Karma Group by e-mailing GoodKarmaMiami@aol.com. Suggested minimum donation is $50 to attend the 6:30 p.m. dinner at Crazy About You, 1155 Brickell Bay Drive, MARK Building, Miami, FL 33130.

Please make checks payable to Food For The Poor and include the special source code “SC# 70264.” Donations can be mailed to Food For The Poor, 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073. All gifts are tax-deductible. Online donations can also be made through the charity’s secure Web site.

Committee members include: Kim Bacardi, Ruby Bacardi, Steven Bauer, Dhardra Blake, April Bolet, Pilar Bosch, May Caine, Cesar Cardoza, Rose Cardoza, Leo Casino, Damourude Ceant, Nelcida Chakoff, Lori Chipnik, Geo Darder, Norma Estrada, Yovanna Farley, Jessica Felicaiano, Lisa Gaylord, Aaron Glickman, Maria Eugenia Guerra, Margie Hawayek, Ligia Houben, Mike Kalamaras, Phyllis Kane, Barbara Kliene, Vivian Lacorra, Merdocery LaFrance, Linda Levy Goldberg, Silvia Lima, Dana Mark, Richard Martinez, Frederick W. Mclendon, Moira Rauch, Marvi Rodriguez Garces, Lois H. Rubin, Nicole Sapah Gulian, Sunny Singh, Sondra Soven, Dana Shear, Praveen Yalamanchi, and Bridget Baratto Sanchez.

Event sponsors include: WBFS Channel 33 MyNetworkTV personality Mike Sherman, Neiman Marcus, Merrick Park; Saks Fifth Avenue, Dadeland Mall, and Eventos Magazine.

Food For The Poor, the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency 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.

Philanthropists Bacardi and Grass Tip Birthday Hats to Food For The Poor

Kimberly Bacardi and Natalie Grass hosted their joint birthday party luncheon at “Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita” restaurant on Aug. 25. The vibrant pair passed on receiving personal gifts – asking friends and family instead to send good karma and monetary donations in their honor to the South Florida-based nonprofit Food For The Poor.

The surprise chocolate frosted and fondant birthday cake was made by celebrity Chef Ron Duprat, from Season 6 of Top Chef. Chocolate mousse separated the chocolate and vanilla cake layers, and an icing Haitian flag design was the perfect thank you on behalf of those the birthday girls are helping in Haiti. First prize for best hat went to lawyer Natasha Mayne with her stunning purple-plumed bonnet from Neiman Marcus.

Wearing their most stylish hats, guests listened to stories from Bacardi’s eye-opening travel experience to Haiti with Food For The Poor and a group from the Florida Marlins.

“Horrendous living conditions exist in Haiti – only an hour and a half by plane from Miami,” said Bacardi. “I plan to return to Haiti in the future with Food For The Poor to see how our donations have been used to build a village and positively affect change.”

During Bacardi’s journey to Haiti, she visited Food For The Poor-sponsored orphanages, handicapped homes, feeding centers and villages. Bacardi’s goal is to inspire others to realize they can make a difference in Haiti – one person, one family at a time.

“By traveling to Haiti, Kim’s presence gave those she met and hugged renewed hope,” said Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor’s Executive Director. “By using their birthdays to do good for others, Kim and Natalie exemplify the importance of cheerful giving, and that it is more fulfilling to give than it is to receive.”

Birthday monies will go toward the Food For The Poor and Florida Marlins “Homes For Haiti” campaign to construct the Good Karma Community Center in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. The center will provide a place for a health clinic and vocational training classes. Extra funds will be used to fulfill other needs within the community – housing, solar power and animal husbandry projects, for example.

To support Bacardi and Grass’s effort, please make checks payable to Food For The Poor and include the special source code “SC# 70264.” Donations can be mailed to 7824 SW 193 Street, Miami, FL 33157. All gifts are tax-deductible. Online donations can also be made through the charity’s secure Web site, www.foodforthepoor.org/goodkarmagroup.

Food For The Poor, the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency 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.