Carnival-Themed Fundraiser Helps to Build a Home in Trinidad

When most people think of Trinidad, located at the southern end of the Caribbean chain of islands, images of people draped in exotic colored costumes parading down the street to pulsating rhythms often comes to mind. Trinidad is also a country peppered with mountains and tranquil beaches. But like many of the other islands in the West Indies, the gap between rich and poor can be wide.

South Florida teen Shannon Weisz is no stranger to the island; her mother, Blanche, was born there and Shannon has traveled there many times. But it was something the 17-year-old saw in August that prompted her to action.

“I’ve been traveling to Trinidad since I was 8 years old,” said Weisz. “But when I went to my cousin’s wedding this last trip, I had some down time, so I ventured out. I saw the condition of the houses some of the people were living in. I love the people of Trinidad and Tobago and I was compelled to do something because everyone deserves to have a decent roof over their head.”

While in Trinidad, Weisz volunteered with Living Water Community, a Catholic Lay Ecclesial Community in Port of Spain. It was there through a chain of events that she learned about Food For The Poor and the charity’s home building projects. Food For The Poor has been serving in Trinidad for 19 years and has built homes there since 2005.

When Weisz returned to her Boca Raton residence, she met with her parents and shared her idea for a fundraiser with her older sister and two younger brothers. Since carnival has become synonymous with Trinidad, which was brought to the island by French settlers in the late 18th century, it was no surprise the spunky Cardinal Gibbons High School Senior decided on a carnival theme for her Nov. 13 fundraiser at Bayview Park located in Fort Lauderdale.

Weisz says about 300 people attended the game-filled fundraiser and 30 volunteers helped her to raise money to build a house in Trinidad. The teen presented Food For The Poor’s President/CEO Robin Mahfood with a check at the charity’s headquarters in Coconut Creek.

“We are blessed and humbled by the philanthropic spirit of many of our young people today. Food For The Poor provides a number of services to millions throughout the Caribbean. Some islands need more help than others, but in the end sustainable housing for as many people as possible is a top priority. Shannon’s donation will soon provide a home for a family in Trinidad,” said Mahfood.

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.

From Louisiana, With Love: Child Sends Shoes to Girl in Honduras

When little Bailey Guillotte heard a Food For The Poor speaker talk about barefoot girls climbing rocky Honduran hillsides to fetch water for their families, the solution seemed simple to her. Bailey, 4, handed her pair of black patent shoes to Fr. Barry Thiering on the way out the door, and accepted a ride in her father’s arms to their car.

She asked one thing – that the shoes go to a little girl in Honduras. The international relief and development agency Food For The Poor did just as she requested.

The little girl who received the shoes lives on the island of Roatan, Honduras, with her mother, father, a brother and three sisters. The family lives in a village of 38 houses built by Food For The Poor. The terrain is steep and rocky, just as Bailey learned in her New Iberia, La., church service. The good news for the little girl in Honduras is that she has new shoes, and because of the new village, she and her sisters no longer will have to go for water. Now, they will be able to go to school instead, thus completing another step in breaking the cycle of poverty.

“Bailey is only 4, and I wasn’t sure how much of the message she understood,” said Gwen Guillotte, her mother. “But she wanted to give her shoes, and I watched as this really tiny girl looked up at the very tall speaker and told him she wanted to give her shoes to another girl ‘so she won’t cut her feet.’ ”

The Rev. Canon Larry Wilkes, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in New Iberia, unsurprised by Bailey’s generosity, said, “The Guillotte family has a wonderful heart, and this demonstrates that Bailey is learning from her parents to be a loving and giving child.”

In many developing countries, it is the mothers and daughters who are charged with the responsibility of finding and hauling clean water. They often have to go many miles to find the water, and it consumes so much time that getting an education is out of the question. Providing housing with sanitation, and clean water sources is a proven way to get the girls in school and start to break the cycle of poverty.

“Bailey’s simple, sacrificial gift shows all of us the powerful difference that one person – even a very tiny one – can make. That is how we measure what we do,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “We count our victories by saving one child at a time, one family at a time, one village at a time.”

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 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.

Food For The Poor’s Christmas Catalog Offers Gifts of Love For Those Who Have Everything and Those Who Have Nothing

In today’s current economy, the South Florida-based humanitarian organization Food For The Poor offers unique gift ideas that will continue to provide comfort and joy long after Christmas has passed. Food For The Poor’s gift catalog is filled with opportunities to change lives in this season of love and hope.

The heartfelt gifts offered through Food For The Poor’s gift catalog epitomize the spirit of giving – and will positively change the lives of those who have nothing. For $36, you can give the gift of life by feeding a malnourished child for a year. Or you can even choose to give farm animals – like chickens, pigs, goats, donkeys and cows – to provide an income and source of nutrition for destitute families.

Across Latin America and the Caribbean, Food For The Poor remains committed to investing in water projects.

“What we can easily access with the twist of a tap is considered a precious gift by the poorest of the poor,” said Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor’s Executive Director. “Your Christmas gift to provide clean water will help answer the prayers of villagers who desperately need this lifesaving resource.”

Food For The Poor is equally committed to building safe and sturdy permanent housing. Families, companies or groups of employees can jointly fund the cost of $3,100 for a one-room home with latrine. Food For The Poor homes can be built in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica and Nicaragua. The family who is moved out of a leaking, dilapidated shack into a real home will always remember that they are blessed.

Food For The Poor’s gift catalog is based on the scripture, “…give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven,” (Matthew 19:21).

The catalog offers a wide variety of gifts to fit any budget – from a fruit tree for $10, or a gift of a donkey for $150, to providing a community with a lifesaving water pump for $205.

Some of the catalog’s creative gift ideas enable communities to sustain themselves economically. Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. Tilapia ponds provide entire villages with an ongoing food source; fishing villages provide the boats, engines, tackle and equipment needed for the fishermen to support their families.

All gifts are tax-deductible. To send a gift, the catalog can be accessed through the charity’s secure Web site or a printed version of the catalog is available by calling 800-427-9104.

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. We provide 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.

Food For The Poor’s Boca Raton Gala to Build “Dreams Across the Sea”

South Florida residents are invited to attend Food For The Poor’s Boca Raton Gala Dreams Across the Sea at the Boca West Country Club on Saturday, Feb. 5. Proceeds will be used to meet the dire housing needs of developing countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.


“Abdol and I are honored to support the international humanitarian efforts of Food For The Poor,” said Cathy Moabery, event co-chairperson. “We are excited to chair this annual event, an evening of building hope and dreams across the sea.”

Master of ceremonies for Dreams Across the Sea is Emmy Award-winning newscaster Calvin Hughes. Hughes co-anchors ABC Local 10’s 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news with Laurie Jennings. Immediately following the Jan. 12 earthquake, Hughes traveled to Haiti to report how nonprofits such as Food For The Poor were striving to improve lives and living conditions throughout the country.

“Less than an hour and a half plane ride from South Florida, there are Third World countries with unimaginable levels of destitution,” said Rene Mahfood, event co-chairperson. “We are blessed to live in the United States, where we have opportunities and the necessary resources to help those who have literally nothing.”

Dreams Across the Sea will feature an elegant cocktail reception, live music, an exclusive silent auction, house rally, dancing, and a memorable dinner with friends. Bidding on silent auction prizes offers opportunities for guests to donate to the cause at the same time. Prizes include exclusive art and collectibles from the Caribbean and Latin America, designer jewelry, vacations, golf and dining packages.

During the charity’s 16th annual Boca Raton gala live house rally guests are given the opportunity to donate funds to build much-needed permanent housing for destitute families. By providing simple, sturdy homes, the nonprofit can change the lives of entire families by giving them the security of a safe place to live.

Food For The Poor will honor South Florida residents whose generosity and dedication to the organization have been inspirational. Food For The Poor’s 2011 Ambassadors for the Poor honorees include Altadis USA Inc. (Monte Cristo Relief Org.), Broetje Orchards, GOYA Foods of Florida, Lawrence Hambach, Hospital Corp of America, Alfredo & Theresa Pellas, Publix Super Markets Inc., Royal Caribbean International, TD Bank N.A., and Whole Foods Markets.

The event co-chairpersons are Cathy and Abdol Moabery, and Rene and Francis Mahfood. Committee members include Rhonda Gluck, Julie Mahfood, Pamela Matsil, Natasha Singh, Patricia Wallace and Traci Wilson.

Event sponsors include Aljoma Lumber, American Nicaraguan Foundation, Bernuth Agencies, Inc., Dennis Charley & Associates, Inc., Dusco Doors, Japs-Olson, Haiti Shipping Lines, MSP, The Pereira Family, Quadriga Art, Inc., SEACOR Holdings Inc., Seaboard Marine Ltd., and TD Bank, N.A.

For additional information regarding the Dreams Across the Sea event and tickets, available at $225 per person, please call Kathy Leggatt at (954) 427-2222 x 6646, or visit the Web site www.foodforthepoor.org/boca.

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 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.

Former WNBA Star Awarded for Making a Slam Dunk for Education

For nearly a decade, Simone Edwards dominated the sport of women’s basketball, where she was known by many as the ‘Jamaican Hurricane’ and finished as the team’s all-time leader in rebounds. When Edwards played in the WNBA for the Seattle Storm, she captured the hearts of both fans and spectators.

But it’s a project off the court that’s dear to Edwards’ own heart that’s putting her back in the spotlight. The former pro athlete and current assistant coach of the George Mason University women’s basketball team says she’s passionate about giving back. So she established the Simone4Children Foundation, a nonprofit created to uplift underprivileged children.

"It’s important to give back; it’s something I feel very strongly about," said Edwards. "I started my foundation because I believe it’s a way to help children to become self-sustaining adults."

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, her dream to build a learning center in St. Andrew quickly became a reality due to a chance meeting and help from Food For The Poor.

One day in 2006 the president of the Women’s National Basketball Association was on a flight; seated next to her was Fr. Tony Palazzolo who works as a speaker with Food For The Poor. The priest was put in contact with the player, and he helped to orchestrate Edwards’ next move toward building a school.

In 2007, the new Hermitage Learning Center officially opened its doors. It’s a place where remedial work is offered in preparation for important school examinations. In the evenings, the facility is used for adult literacy education. In addition to the new facility, which has the capacity to comfortably house 50 students and their teachers, Food For The Poor has donated office and classroom furniture, plus a furnished kitchen. More than 100 students have benefited from Hermitage’s homework, masonry and skills training programs.

“I have always known about Food For The Poor, being from Jamaica, but I didn’t realize the charity did so much. I am extremely grateful for all they have done to help me build this school, and to help the children of Jamaica,” said Edwards.

Since the early 1990s, Edwards’ talents on the hardwood in college, the WNBA, and now as a college basketball coach, have earned her countless awards. But on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, the Immaculate Conception High School Alumnae Association, New York Chapter will present her with the Ad Astra Award for using her sport to uplift others and for being a shining example for Jamaicans and Caribbean Diasporas.

“We can celebrate with Ms. Edwards and the residents who live in the community of Hermitage because they now have a sturdy structure in which to learn,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “They no longer have to sit under tents during classes, or worry about classes being cancelled when it rains. When her organization requested our assistance in constructing a safe, sturdy building for the Hermitage school, Food For The Poor was eager to answer this call for help.”

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.

WLRN Campaign Helps Haiti’s Children

For the second time this year, Friends of WLRN has reached out to Food For The Poor by hosting a distinctive fundraising drive that will benefit the nonprofit organization. When radio listeners support WLRN through the station’s fund drive, Friends of WLRN will in turn donate a portion of the proceeds to feed hungry and malnourished Haitian children.

Friends of WLRN has dedicated today to Food For The Poor. For every $100 committed by listeners who call to support the station, Friends of WLRN will donate $18 to feed a hungry child in Haiti for six months. Through the station’s generosity earlier this year, more than 730 children were fed through Food For The Poor’s feeding programs.

Wagner Previato, Director of Marketing and Membership for Friends of WLRN, called the March campaign a huge success, and is hoping for additional support this time for Haiti as the country continues to endure crisis after crisis.

“The South Florida community and supporters of our public radio station responded generously when we mentioned that a portion of their contributions would be going directly to feeding children in Haiti through Food For The Poor,” said Previato. “Our partnership with Food For The Poor helped mobilize our efforts in making a gift that nourishes Haiti’s most vulnerable citizens, and supports 91.3 WLRN’s news coverage of Haiti and all other local news stories.”

In Haiti, more than half of the population, including two-thirds of the children, suffers from malnutrition. About 76 of every 1,000 children die before reaching their fifth birthday.

“The need for food in Haiti right now is tremendous, and we are continuously working to reach the most desperate,” said Food For The Poor Executive Director Angel Aloma. “We are so grateful that Friends of WLRN and their supporters are helping us serve the poorest of the poor in Haiti. The earthquake now has been compounded by a deadly cholera outbreak, and our joint actions are needed now more than ever.”

Through Thursday, Dec. 2, supporters can make a donation to the pledge drive by calling
1-866-247-9576 or by visiting www.wlrnradio.org.

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 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.

Palm Beach Philanthropists Prepare for FFP gala

Food For The Poor’s eighth annual Palm Beach gala, Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures will be held Sunday, January 30, 2011, at The Breakers, Palm Beach. The annual event is chaired by distinguished Palm Beach philanthropists Robert G. and Arlette Gordon (Grand Honorary Chairpersons), and Elizabeth Bowden (Gala Chairwoman).

With a passion for both culinary achievement and charitable giving, Grand Honorary Chairpersons Robert and Arlette Gordon and Gala Chairwoman Elizabeth Bowden, invite you to become involved in this philanthropic cause and transform lives of poverty and suffering into ones filled with hope and thanksgiving.

Food For The Poor’s gala will begin with a superb wine tasting reception with selected wines compliments of Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., and Republic National Distributing Company. Throughout the reception, unique wine selections, jewelry and exotic escapes are among the varied silent and live auction prizes. Specially selected fine wines will be chosen to highlight each course prepared by the executive chefs of The Breakers. Additionally, Broadway-inspired performances by La Mystique are certain to enthrall guests.

Early event benefactors include Helen Bernstein, Elizabeth Bowden, Florence DeGeorge, Robert and Arlette Gordon, International Society of Palm Beach, Stanley and Helene Karp, Howard and Michele Kessler, and Henry Fong and Mary Virginia Knight. Gala sponsors to include American Nicaraguan Foundation, Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., Russ Reid Company, and Republic National Distributing Company.

For additional information regarding the Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures event, benefactor levels, and tickets, available at $450 per person, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.foodforthepoor.org/palmbeach.

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. We provide 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.