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.

#GivingTuesday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


        

Houses providing jobs, shelter, hope

The first phase of a major home-building project on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince is almost complete, just two months after construction started on 100 houses. Food For The Poor, the Inter-American Development Bank, and Fonds d' Assistance Économique et Social committed to building the homes on land donated by the Haitian government.

The Inter-American Development Bank funded the site development in Orangers and half of the cost of every home, while the other half is being matched by caring donors of Food For The Poor. Eighty-six of the 100 homes in the initial phase have been completed, a feat that reinforces the charity’s capacity and efficiency in the rebuilding of Haiti.

More than 2,400 homes have been built by the charity in Haiti since the January 2010 earthquake. While 1.3 million people were initially left homeless by the earthquake, about 600,000 are still without shelter, according to the United Nations’ shelter committee. Getting the people out of the makeshift tents pitched in the city’s parks, plazas and public places is a challenge because most have no place to go.

“The people who will live in these homes are among the poorest of the displaced people directly affected by the earthquake, and living in tents and other makeshift shelters around the city,” said Alvaro Pereira, Executive Vice President of Food For The Poor. “This development is not only providing the dignity and safety of homes, but also offering hope through jobs.”

Meaningful change in Haiti will come through self-sustaining programs, allowing Haitians to take the reins of their own future by providing jobs that will help support the country’s people and local economy. That kind of economic impact is evident in the Orangers project. More than 75 people who are heads of households are building the homes, directly impacting the economic wellbeing of almost 300 people. Another 140 or so are benefitting from selling supplies, foods and other commodities in the local markets.

“Since the quake, we have escalated our homebuilding in Haiti,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “It is heartbreaking to see the conditions in which people are living, and it is dangerous to their health and safety. By working together with IDB and our loyal and generous donors, we have been able to get some of the displaced out of the tent cities. There are so many more that urgently need our help.”

There are other signs of progress in Port-au-Prince. Food For The Poor celebrated the opening of the Jean-Marie Gilloux School on Wednesday. The two-level building is near the ruins of the famed Notre Dame d’Haiti Cathedral.

Three more schools are also being constructed, and each school is being built with earthquake resistant materials. More than 3,400 students will benefit from the construction of the four new schools.

Food For The Poor, the third-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.

Soaring Food, Fuel Prices Pose Double Threat to Poor

Workers from Food For The Poor often find families in developing countries who have not eaten for three or four days. Either there is no food available at all, or they have no money with which to buy even a small bag of rice. Now, because of soaring food and fuel costs, their food sources will be further threatened.

Floods, drought, and crop failures are pushing food costs to crisis proportions. The World Bank reports that food prices have gone up 29 percent in the last year. On top of that, rising oil prices are increasing transportation costs. U.S. consumers will feel it soon, and over the next eight to 10 months, but for the truly poor in developing countries, the impact will be immediate and have dire consequences, including possible death.

“This past year, we’ve experienced a lot of crises, and each one has further hurt the poor, but this convergence of rising costs threatens the provision of the most basic relief – the shipment of simple, life-sustaining foods,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “If you are helping the destitute, you must first start by providing food that will give them life and allow you to build from there. This will challenge all of us.”

Americans spend about 9 percent of their salaries on food, but for those in developing countries who live on pennies a day, that percentage can be 80 to 90 percent. The impact on the truly poor can be devastating.

Food For The Poor can feed a child for $36 a year, but its ability to provide food efficiently to the most needy is threatened by double-digit percentage increases in food prices from the past year, as well as the forecast from suppliers that food prices will double or triple by the end of 2011. Shipping costs are forecast to increase 60 percent, further complicating relief actions.

“This volatile situation with the food and fuel prices will stretch our charity’s ability to get food and other supplies where they are most needed,” Mahfood said. “Everyone will feel the pinch, but no one more than the destitute. We are asking for everyone’s help in giving what they can to prevent more suffering. It is times such as this when we remember the importance of the widow’s mites, and how she shared with the poor out of her own need.”

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the United States, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries in 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.

Contact:
Kathy Skipper
Food For The Poor
Director of Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6614
kathys@foodforthepoor.com

Support Food For The Poor with every credit card swipe you make!

Good news! Food For The Poor is now supported by SwipeGood, a service that allows you to automatically round up all your credit or debit card transactions to the nearest dollar, donating your spare change to help the poorest of the poor.

When you're a starving child, spare change goes a long way. Eighteen dollars, the average monthly donation of a SwipeGood user, is enough to feed a child for 6 months. With SwipeGood you change lives every time you shop!

Please sign up today, it only takes a few minutes:

1. Go to Food For The Poor's SwipeGood profile.
2. Create an account or log-in with your Facebook account
3. Select the card you would like to have purchases rounded up on
4. Set a monthly donation limit if you want

Food For The Poor, the third-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.

Through Dec. 31, gifts for feeding Haiti’s children are being doubled

Can you imagine having to tell your children that "today is not your turn to eat?"

While visiting earthquake-devastated Haiti earlier this year, Food For The Poor Executive Director Angel Aloma witnessed one child eating a handful of rice while his older brother merely watched. "Today is not my turn to eat," the boy told Aloma.

Haiti is home to entire families that have not eaten for days. With these families in mind, please send us your greatest gift possible. Gifts made by Friday, December 31, are tax-deductible and will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $250,000. Time is running out to save lives.

Please visit www.foodforthepoor.org/yearendfoodgift to give these children a gift -- the gift of food.