Show House Visitors Fund 5 Homes in Haiti

	Proceeds from the Designer Show House event will build five homes in Ganthier, Haiti.
Related Item: View Photos of the Show House

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (February 26, 2014) – Almost 700 people visited Lighthouse Interiors’ “Tour a House, Build a House” Designer Show House event over the weekend, making it possible for Food For The Poor to build five homes for desperate families living in mud huts in Ganthier, Haiti.

For three festive days, Feb. 21-23, visitors enjoyed tours of the 10,000-square-foot luxury home located at 2316 NE 30th Court in Lighthouse Point. Attendees were also treated to a wine-tasting, champagne, decadent dessert, live steel pan music, and a swimwear fashion show.

Displaying a mix of both traditional and contemporary styles, a dozen of the area’s top designers joined Bridget Conway, principal of Lighthouse Interiors, in transforming the home’s empty rooms and outdoor areas into inviting living quarters.

“We brought in a prominent group of South Florida designers who graciously agreed to share their incredible talents by imparting their magic throughout the house,” said Conway. “Without this fantastic team’s generosity, we could not have produced this showcase to generate much-needed funds to build safe and secure homes for some of the poorest families in Haiti.”

Ganthier is a small, rural community in Haiti where many families live without running water, electricity and very little food. Event proceeds will provide sturdy, two-room homes constructed with concrete block, poured cement foundations, and zinc roofs. Each home will be powered with solar energy and equipped with sanitation.

“Food For The Poor was honored to have Bridget Conway and all of the talented designers lend time, effort and extraordinary skill to support such an important cause,” said Robin Mahfood, President of Food For The Poor. “The houses we build for the people of Ganthier are more than just brick and mortar. They offer a foundation of hope.”

“Tour a House, Build a House” officially opened with a VIP reception on Thursday, Feb. 20, and offered guests eye-catching decor, cocktails courtesy of Bacardi, and a selection of gourmet samples prepared and served by Executive Chef Nestor “Alex” Amaya of El Tamarindo Café.  The event also featured a colorful fashion show hosted by Styles Boutique, a silent auction, music by Miami’s DJ UP, and door prizes.

The South Florida designers who joined Bridget Conway in the design of the home are Kenneth Crawford of Kenneth Crawford Interiors; Ellen de Vos of Michael Taylor Designs; Frances Herrera of Frances Herrera Interior Design; Sonia Lise Longchamp ASID, Kay Smith, and Gene Valentino of Sklar Furnishings; Kendall Marcelle of Kendall Marcelle Design Associates, Inc.; Bernard and Stephanie Molyneux, owners of ACP Home Interiors; Sabrina Wilson of Lighthouse Interiors; Century Furniture; TBG Partners and Spruce Home & Garden.

The premier sponsor for the 2014 Designer Show House was Campbell & Rosemurgy Real Estate. Additional sponsors included Bacardi Limited, El Tamarindo Café, U.S.A. Transportation, Bay Branch Foundation, Bayview Animal Clinic, Heritage Investment Group, Les Bijoux, LLC, Sheehan Buick GMC, The Prenner Team — Cathy and Jack Prenner and Wells Fargo.

For more information, visit foodforthepoor.org/showhousegallery.    

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.

Designers set for show house

	The exclusive Designer Show House 2014 VIP Reception will be Thursday, Feb. 20, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. in Lighthouse Point, Fla.
Related Items: Get Show House Tickets See Photos of the Designers

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Dec. 10, 2013) – Lighthouse Interiors is pleased to announce the South Florida designers selected to join Bridget Conway, Principal of Lighthouse Interiors,  in the design of a multi-million dollar Lighthouse Point waterfront home, Feb. 20-23, 2014. Proceeds from the unique event will be used to build Food For The Poor homes in Haiti.

Designers include Bridget Conway, Principal of Lighthouse Interiors; Bernard and Stephanie Molyneux, owners of ACP Home Interiors; Kenneth Crawford of Kenneth Crawford Interiors; Ellen de Vos of Michael Taylor Designs; Frances Herrera of Frances Herrera Interior Design; Sonia Lise Longchamp ASID, Kay Smith, and Gene Valentino of Sklar Furnishings; Kendall Marcelle of Kendall Marcelle Design Associates Inc.; 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 specialty Bacardí rum bar, silent auction, fashion show and music by Miami’s DJ UP.

The Designer Show House 2014 event 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.”

Sponsors include Campbell & Rosemurgy Real Estate, The Bay Branch Foundation, and The Prenner Team — Cathy and Jack Prenner.

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.

Local parish makes dozens of dresses, a gift to little girls in Haiti

 Bake sales, raffle tickets and car washes have become synonymous with church groups raising funds for various projects to help those in need. The Council of Catholic Women from St. Paul the Apostle Church in Lighthouse Point, Fla., decided to take a different approach, and chose to make brightly colored dresses for little girls. They made their needs known, picked up a needle and thread and got to sewing.

“We wanted this to be a parish function, not just a women’s club function,” said Cathie Desjean, President of the Council of Catholic Women at St. Paul the Apostle Church. “We asked our parish to help, and they did. They donated all the pillowcases we needed and we used them for making the dresses.” 

Using a basic dress pattern and whole lot of creativity, a group of women volunteers turned new and used pillowcases that had been washed and pressed into adorable little sundresses with little bloomers to match.  After six months of sewing, a total of 184 dresses were then donated to Food For The Poor and will be distributed to little girls in Titayen, Haiti.

Titayen, located just north of Port-au-Prince, is where hundreds left homeless by the 2010 earthquake have pitched their tents. Food For The Poor is in the process of building a village in Titayen, which will consist of two-room concrete houses, a water filtration unit that will benefit the entire community, and a school building with the capacity to accommodate 300 students. The school will include administrative and meeting rooms, a kitchen and a 10-unit sanitation block.

“In a place where the need is so great, it’s easy to forget that it is often the small acts of kindness that make the biggest impact,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor.  “We are very grateful to receive these little dresses because this gift means more than covering for these little girls –
it means they are not forgotten.”

“Each and every stitch made in these little dresses was made with love,” said DeeDee Coulombe, Vice President of the Council of Catholic Women at St. Paul the Apostle Church. “And we’re so happy that they are going to go to children who can really use them,”

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.

To learn more, please visit www.foodforthepoor.org.

Contact:
Wanda Wright
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6079
wandaw@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