COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Dec. 21, 2012) – Two fishermen are expected back in Kingston, Jamaica, on Saturday, after a day on the water in late November turned into a three-week adventure that landed them in the territorial waters of Colombia.
Everton Gregory, 54, and John Sobah, 58, are professional fishermen from the Food For The Poor fishing village in the town of Lyssons, which is located in St. Thomas Parrish on the eastern coast of the island.
When the men boarded the 28-foot fishing boat, they went with their tackle and just enough food and water for a few days. When the time came to head back, the boat’s motor failed.
After a day, when the men did not return, Food For The Poor sent out a search team that included a chartered plane and scanned the waters near Jamaica. When days turned into a week and when a search party turned up empty-handed, family and friends of Gregory and Sobah feared that both men were forever lost at sea. Out of radio range, the boat drifted for more than 20 days and more than 500 miles.
The men survived by eating dried fish and sipping melted ice from their cooler. Before the fishermen were saved off the Caribbean island of Quitasueño near San Andrés, they went six days without water.
“With provisions running low, I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for these two fishermen who were adrift for weeks in the Caribbean Sea without a soul or land in sight,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “We are thankful to God and to Colombia’s officials for rescuing these fishermen and for helping us to return these men back to Jamaica in time to celebrate Christmas with their families.”
After the fishermen were picked up by a Colombian naval ship, they were taken to San Andrés where they received food and medical treatment. San Andrés is among the Colombian islands in the Caribbean Sea and is more than 400 miles away from Colombia’s mainland. It is close to Nicaragua.
The matter was reported to the Jamaican Embassy in Bogota, where the necessary paper work was processed for the fishermen to return to Jamaica. The fishing boat was towed to Providencia, which is one of several islands in Colombia’s chain of Caribbean islands.
Both men say they are excited and grateful to be heading back to Jamaica and are calling their sea rescue a real life miracle.
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.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Food For The Poor Organizes Prisoner Releases, Nonviolent Offenders Freed in Jamaica, Guyana and Haiti
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Natalie Carlisle, a Food For The Poor staff member, washed the feet of the nonviolent inmates at St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre before they were released.
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Fifteen prisoners from St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre in Spanish Town, Jamaica, were escorted from their cells to a room, where they were greeted by Food For The Poor staff and donors from the United States. Just as Jesus washed the disciples’ feet – the visitors kneeled before the prisoners, and gently washed the inmates’ feet. Dressed in new shoes, the cleansed inmates learned Food For The Poor donors had paid the fines for their nonviolent offenses, and that they would be released in time to spend Christmas with their families.
“We all make mistakes and can testify that we have received many chances from persons who love and care for us,” said Jacqueline Johnson, Food For The Poor-Jamaica’s Executive Director, to the inmates at St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.
Johnson encouraged each beneficiary to return to society not being bitter men, but being grateful. “If ever you should return, come back not as an inmate, but rather as an inspiration and a beacon of light to the men you’ll be leaving here today,” she said.
“When I heard my name, I thought there was another inmate with that name in the room,” said a 23-year-old inmate released from Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre in Jamaica. “I couldn’t believe it, but I thank Food For The Poor and the donors for a second chance.”
This year in Jamaica, a total of 18 inmates were released from prisons in Spanish Town and Kingston.
Twice a year – during the Christmas and Easter seasons – it is a Food For The Poor tradition to release nonviolent inmates who have been incarcerated due to their inability to pay the required fines for committing minor offenses. This year prisoners also will be released in Guyana and Haiti.
In developing countries, the destitute sometimes have no way to feed their families other than to steal food. The consequence often is imprisonment without first appearing before a judge, or receiving a prison sentence. Sometimes, by the time they are tried, they have spent years longer in jail than their prison sentence requires.
“When you visit a prison, desperate eyes peer out of the dark cells, into the light, pleading silently for help,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s CEO/President. “They want to feel a connection with the outside world, to be a brother in Christ, to be prayed for – and not to be forgotten.”
Food For The Poor’s Prison Ministry Program is based on the scripture, “When was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you…” (Matthew 25: 31-46).
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.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Atlanta Residents Travel to Haiti to Inaugurate Development Projects
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Dec. 12, 2012) – Embraced by students at Lycee Charles Belair School in Arcahaie, Haiti, Paula Adesokan reflected how just two and a half months earlier she and her husband committed to fund the school’s water project at Food For The Poor’s Dreams Across The Sea Gala in Atlanta. She was astonished to witness how their gift of life-giving water already was available to approximately 2,000 grateful students.
The Adesokans attended the gala as guests when they learned about the nonprofit’s mission to provide clean drinking water to children and their families in Haiti. Paula Adesokan was part of a group of 12 from Atlanta-area communities to travel to Haiti, December 4-6, to inaugurate several water projects and a community center built in collaboration with Food For The Poor.
“For nearly a mile we danced our way into Vialet, stopping to see the water filtration system funded by Water-Life-Hope,” said John Beasley, a partner at JF Beasley, LLP. During the trip Beasley posted photos on the group’s travel blog.
Atlanta attorney Amanda Farahany was inspired to raise money to build a community center for residents in Vialet, when she visited the village in Dec. 2011. A year later, she and the group were welcomed back by a marching band and grateful residents holding signs that read, “Justice at Work a project of Food For The Poor.”
At the inauguration of the center, Farahany gave a heartfelt address commending the residents for their strength. The Association de Peches des Deuxieme Plaine (ADP) is the community group that will supervise the care of the community center.
“The Haitian people inspire hope in me,” said Farahany, a partner at Barrett & Farahany, LLP. “Their daily struggles are so great, and yet they celebrate life with joy and love. And with each visit here, I can see how the Haitians have used our helping hand to lead themselves to the next level of self-sufficiency.”
Food For The Poor donors Edward and Patricia Buckley also traveled to dedicate the water treatment unit they raised the money to install in Vialet. The unit provides approximately 1,500 residents access to life saving water. The Living Water Treatment System, manufactured by Water Missions International, treats up to 10,000 gallons each day and helps to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses.
“Throughout history, the Haitian people have had to make do with what they had,” said Beasley. “Today in Vialet, a place I visited on one of my first trips, I saw that resilience and determination multiplied by the compassion of Food For The Poor and Water-Life-Hope donors.”
The next stop for the group was Grand Boulage. Schoolchildren sang welcome songs as the group arrived at the top of the mountain, 2,000 feet high, to dedicate the 25,000 gallon concrete cistern. Hundreds from the community gathered to praise God and celebrate the water project that will serve approximately 10,000 families. The people of Grand Boulage lined up to assist group members as they walked the steep, rocky slope to the stream where the 25,000 gallon reservoir will pump the fresh water to the neighboring communities. Children ranging in age from five to 12 marched up the mountain with water buckets balanced on their heads.
The installation of this water project guarantees children access to safe drinking water, allowing them to spend more time in the classroom learning, rather than walking miles to gather water to drink and cook with that might be contaminated.
“For it is our belief that the right to clean drinking water is the most fundamental of human rights, for without clean drinking water we cannot fully exercise our other God-given rights,” said Edward Buckley, President of Water-Life-Hope and partner at Buckley & Klein, LLP. “For example, a child can’t enjoy her right to education with parasites roiling in her belly because she does not have clean drinking water. A woman can’t engage in commerce if she has to spend five hours a day hunting for clean water and bringing a five gallon bucket back to her home only to repeat the same thing the next day.”
Water-Life-Hope has partnered with Food For The Poor on a new project to drill 200 artesian water wells in Haiti. To support the initiative, please make checks payable to Food For The Poor and include the special source code “SC# 88473” so your donation may be tracked to the initiative. Donations may 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 website at www.FoodForThePoor.org/200.
Travelers included Paula Adesokan (Buckhead), John Beasley (Watkinsville), Simone Beasley (Watkinsville), Edward and Patricia Buckley (Decatur), Christopher Curry (Atlanta), Amanda Farahany (Atlanta), Verlyn Foley (Alpharetta), Gina Fraiser (Alpharetta), Nekeidra Frederick (Alpharetta), and Garvin Stewart (Alpharetta).
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.
The Adesokans attended the gala as guests when they learned about the nonprofit’s mission to provide clean drinking water to children and their families in Haiti. Paula Adesokan was part of a group of 12 from Atlanta-area communities to travel to Haiti, December 4-6, to inaugurate several water projects and a community center built in collaboration with Food For The Poor.
“For nearly a mile we danced our way into Vialet, stopping to see the water filtration system funded by Water-Life-Hope,” said John Beasley, a partner at JF Beasley, LLP. During the trip Beasley posted photos on the group’s travel blog.
Atlanta attorney Amanda Farahany was inspired to raise money to build a community center for residents in Vialet, when she visited the village in Dec. 2011. A year later, she and the group were welcomed back by a marching band and grateful residents holding signs that read, “Justice at Work a project of Food For The Poor.”
At the inauguration of the center, Farahany gave a heartfelt address commending the residents for their strength. The Association de Peches des Deuxieme Plaine (ADP) is the community group that will supervise the care of the community center.
“The Haitian people inspire hope in me,” said Farahany, a partner at Barrett & Farahany, LLP. “Their daily struggles are so great, and yet they celebrate life with joy and love. And with each visit here, I can see how the Haitians have used our helping hand to lead themselves to the next level of self-sufficiency.”
Food For The Poor donors Edward and Patricia Buckley also traveled to dedicate the water treatment unit they raised the money to install in Vialet. The unit provides approximately 1,500 residents access to life saving water. The Living Water Treatment System, manufactured by Water Missions International, treats up to 10,000 gallons each day and helps to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses.
“Throughout history, the Haitian people have had to make do with what they had,” said Beasley. “Today in Vialet, a place I visited on one of my first trips, I saw that resilience and determination multiplied by the compassion of Food For The Poor and Water-Life-Hope donors.”
The next stop for the group was Grand Boulage. Schoolchildren sang welcome songs as the group arrived at the top of the mountain, 2,000 feet high, to dedicate the 25,000 gallon concrete cistern. Hundreds from the community gathered to praise God and celebrate the water project that will serve approximately 10,000 families. The people of Grand Boulage lined up to assist group members as they walked the steep, rocky slope to the stream where the 25,000 gallon reservoir will pump the fresh water to the neighboring communities. Children ranging in age from five to 12 marched up the mountain with water buckets balanced on their heads.
The installation of this water project guarantees children access to safe drinking water, allowing them to spend more time in the classroom learning, rather than walking miles to gather water to drink and cook with that might be contaminated.
“For it is our belief that the right to clean drinking water is the most fundamental of human rights, for without clean drinking water we cannot fully exercise our other God-given rights,” said Edward Buckley, President of Water-Life-Hope and partner at Buckley & Klein, LLP. “For example, a child can’t enjoy her right to education with parasites roiling in her belly because she does not have clean drinking water. A woman can’t engage in commerce if she has to spend five hours a day hunting for clean water and bringing a five gallon bucket back to her home only to repeat the same thing the next day.”
Water-Life-Hope has partnered with Food For The Poor on a new project to drill 200 artesian water wells in Haiti. To support the initiative, please make checks payable to Food For The Poor and include the special source code “SC# 88473” so your donation may be tracked to the initiative. Donations may 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 website at www.FoodForThePoor.org/200.
Travelers included Paula Adesokan (Buckhead), John Beasley (Watkinsville), Simone Beasley (Watkinsville), Edward and Patricia Buckley (Decatur), Christopher Curry (Atlanta), Amanda Farahany (Atlanta), Verlyn Foley (Alpharetta), Gina Fraiser (Alpharetta), Nekeidra Frederick (Alpharetta), and Garvin Stewart (Alpharetta).
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.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
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.
“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.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Olympian Leads Food For The Poor 5K Walk/Run to Feed Record Number
Blake, a Jamaican Olympic Gold and Silver medalist and Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, handed out bottles of WATA brand bottled water and motivated participants across the finish line. The racers ranged between 8 and 78 years old.
“I know what it is to be hungry and so I respect what Food For The Poor is doing,” said Blake, one of the world’s fastest sprinters.
Thanks to the charity’s low administrative ratio and purchasing power, Food For The Poor can feed a family of four for $14.60 a month. Donations to this effort are accepted at www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk.
The fastest male was Kevin Channer with a time of 17:45.2. The fastest female was Ann Rodriguez with a time of 24:12.2.
Additional race results are available online at http://tinyurl.com/cx9ctuy.
Cans of food donated by 5K Walk/Run participants and a check to purchase turkeys were presented to “Big Mama,” Essie Reed, founder of Team of Life nonprofit, to benefit needy families in South Florida in time for Thanksgiving.
The 5K Walk/Run was presented by Winn-Dixie. Event sponsors included Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Bru’s Room, The Consul General of Jamaica, Corner Bakery Cafe, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Humana, Kona Ice, KPA Promotion, Muffuletta, PNC, Polyglass, Runners Edge, Sun-Sentinel, TeamReliv, The WOW Factory, Tijuana Flats, WATA, Wells Fargo and World of Beer.
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.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Food For The Poor Joins the National #GivingTuesday Movement
Food For The Poor joined #GivingTuesday to harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners – charities, families, businesses and individuals.
“Food For The Poor is extremely excited and proud to be a part of this movement, where hundreds of nonprofits working in the United States and in various countries are spreading the news about the beauty of giving back,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “It is my hope that individuals who learn about #GivingTuesday will support their charities and causes of choice and take part in helping to create a better world.”
When Food For The Poor’s Executive Director was invited to write a blog entry for the Huffington Post as part of the #GivingTuesday initiative, he thought right away of a donor who has experienced both tribulation and triumph this past year.
Longtime donor Barbara Gilbert rejoiced at the completion of one of her Food For The Poor projects for the poor in Jamaica, but just weeks later was thrown into despair when she was told her son’s body was being assaulted by an infection and amputation of his limbs might be the only way to save him.
Her story of the cycle of giving is on Huffington Post.
To join Food For The Poor’s #GivingTuesday initiative, visit www.foodforthepoor.org/givingtuesday.
View our gift catalog video at www.foodforthepoor.org/givingtuesdayvideo for creative ideas that will 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 will 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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.
For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.
Friday, November 16, 2012
A Donor’s Story: Food For The Poor Shares the Gift of Giving
COCONUT Creek, Fla., (Nov. 16, 2012) – When Food For The Poor Executive Director Angel Aloma was invited to write a blog entry for the Huffington Post as part of the #GivingTuesday initiative, he thought right away of a donor who has experienced both tribulation and triumph this past year.
Dozens of bloggers representing charities around the world were asked to write about a project or person who has been a source of inspiration for a special series focused on #GivingTuesday. Starting Nov.1, and for the next 30 days, bloggers including Food For The Poor, will use the Huffington Post as a venue to share inspiring stories.
Longtime donor Barbara Gilbert rejoiced at the completion of one of her Food For The Poor projects for the poor in Jamaica, but just weeks later was thrown into despair when she was told her son’s body was being assaulted by an infection and amputation of his limbs might be the only way to save him.
Read her story of the cycle of giving.
“We have many donors who support this international development and relief agency, but Barbara is one of those donors whose circumstances in life give new meaning to the cycle of giving,” said Aloma. “One of the most valuable gifts we can give our families, friends and to our neighbors is the commitment to work together to make this world a better place.”
Food For The Poor is one of nearly 200 nonprofits invited by InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations, to take part in an initiative this holiday season where the act of sharing will take on a new meaning.
On November 27, 2012, #GivingTuesday will use the power of social media to create a national movement around the holidays dedicated to giving. 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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.
For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.
Dozens of bloggers representing charities around the world were asked to write about a project or person who has been a source of inspiration for a special series focused on #GivingTuesday. Starting Nov.1, and for the next 30 days, bloggers including Food For The Poor, will use the Huffington Post as a venue to share inspiring stories.
Longtime donor Barbara Gilbert rejoiced at the completion of one of her Food For The Poor projects for the poor in Jamaica, but just weeks later was thrown into despair when she was told her son’s body was being assaulted by an infection and amputation of his limbs might be the only way to save him.
Read her story of the cycle of giving.
“We have many donors who support this international development and relief agency, but Barbara is one of those donors whose circumstances in life give new meaning to the cycle of giving,” said Aloma. “One of the most valuable gifts we can give our families, friends and to our neighbors is the commitment to work together to make this world a better place.”
Food For The Poor is one of nearly 200 nonprofits invited by InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations, to take part in an initiative this holiday season where the act of sharing will take on a new meaning.
On November 27, 2012, #GivingTuesday will use the power of social media to create a national movement around the holidays dedicated to giving. 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 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.
For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.
Monday, November 12, 2012
National FFA donates half a million meals to Haiti
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 8, 2012) – Thanks to the generosity of the National Future Farmers of America, the international relief and development organization Food For The Poor was able to ship half a million rice casserole meals to Haiti just one week after Hurricane Sandy left 54 dead and destroyed 70 percent of the country’s subsistence agricultural crops.
The bags were packed by volunteers and contain soy protein, dried vegetables and spices and provide nutritious food for four to six people, when mixed with boiling water. Through the efforts of caring donors, more than 16 million such meals have been shipped since January 2012 to countries served by Food For The Poor.
“Food insecurity is something all of us are seeing in our local communities more than ever before. We believe FFA can make a difference, and we envision a world where hunger will be a thing of the past,” said National FFA Chief Executive Officer W. Dwight Armstrong. “This was the largest single service event the National FFA Organization has ever conducted. More than 10,000 people gave their time and energy over two-and-a-half days right in the middle of our national convention, including students, teachers, staff and sponsors.”
The donation comes at a time when Hurricane Sandy’s damage has left Haiti in danger of a severe food crisis, putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk. Sixty-seven pallets of meals went out immediately to Port-au-Prince. “This beautiful gift of food literally will save the lives of children and their families who had very little before the storm, and now have absolutely nothing,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “I find it especially meaningful that these generous donors have not only packed these meals, but are committing their futures to finding solutions for feeding a growing global population.”
Three more pallets of the meals will be shipped next week with other necessary supplies to Cap-Haitien, where heavy rains on Thursday night reportedly resulted in the deaths of some infants and children.
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.
The bags were packed by volunteers and contain soy protein, dried vegetables and spices and provide nutritious food for four to six people, when mixed with boiling water. Through the efforts of caring donors, more than 16 million such meals have been shipped since January 2012 to countries served by Food For The Poor.
“Food insecurity is something all of us are seeing in our local communities more than ever before. We believe FFA can make a difference, and we envision a world where hunger will be a thing of the past,” said National FFA Chief Executive Officer W. Dwight Armstrong. “This was the largest single service event the National FFA Organization has ever conducted. More than 10,000 people gave their time and energy over two-and-a-half days right in the middle of our national convention, including students, teachers, staff and sponsors.”
The donation comes at a time when Hurricane Sandy’s damage has left Haiti in danger of a severe food crisis, putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk. Sixty-seven pallets of meals went out immediately to Port-au-Prince. “This beautiful gift of food literally will save the lives of children and their families who had very little before the storm, and now have absolutely nothing,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “I find it especially meaningful that these generous donors have not only packed these meals, but are committing their futures to finding solutions for feeding a growing global population.”
Three more pallets of the meals will be shipped next week with other necessary supplies to Cap-Haitien, where heavy rains on Thursday night reportedly resulted in the deaths of some infants and children.
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.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The WOW Factory Supports Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 8, 2012) – On Friday, Nov. 9, The WOW Factory will give thanks and donate 20 percent of the $20 admission fee to Coconut Creek-based nonprofits, including Food For The Poor. Come register for Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger and play unlimited video games from 5 to 8 p.m. at The WOW Factory, 5891 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Fla. You will have a great time while benefiting the charity.
"The WOW Factory appreciates all that the Coconut Creek-based non profits do for our community," said Tom Head, owner of The WOW Factory. “Come out and have an amazing, awesome, fun and all-around entertainment experience with games and attractions for all ages on Friday and we will donate 20 percent to support their good works.” The WOW Factory has more than 50 games and attractions, including Laser Tag, Ballocity, Adventure Climbing Wall, Sky Trail Elevated Ropes Course, Lazer Frenzy and video and redemption games. Food For The Poor will also have representatives available at the event to help register participants for the walk/run.
You can also register or make a donation to stomp out hunger alongside Jamaican Olympic medal winner Yohan Blake on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7 a.m. at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Fla. While on the website, take advantage of free fundraising tips designed to help you reach your fundraising goal by sharing your ideas with family, friends, co-workers and contacts.
Cost of registration is $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-10. There’s no fee for children 5 and under. The registration cost includes a T-shirt for the first 1,500 who sign up. There will be refreshments, live music, balloon artists, face painters and more at this family event. Registration on the day of the event starts at 6:30 a.m., the walk/run begins at 7 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 8 a.m.
Proceeds from this year’s 5K Walk/Run will assist in feeding destitute families throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. A generous donor has agreed to match every dollar raised with an additional dollar’s worth of food.
Participants are also encouraged to bring cans of food to the 5K Walk/Run to benefit needy families in South Florida. Requested Thanksgiving-themed sides include canned corn, sweet potato, green beans, pumpkin and cranberry sauce.
“We want to help spread Thanksgiving blessings to needy families in our community, too,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO. “With local food pantry shelves practically empty, we want to be able to bring the community together to address the need."
The 5K Walk/Run is presented by Winn-Dixie. Event sponsors are Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Bru’s Room, The Consul General of Jamaica, Corner Bakery Cafe, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Humana, Kona Ice, KPA Promotion, L.A. Fitness, Muffuletta, PNC, Polyglass, Runners Edge, Sun-Sentinel, TeamReliv, The WOW Factory, Tijuana Flats, WATA, Wells Fargo and World of Beer.
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.
"The WOW Factory appreciates all that the Coconut Creek-based non profits do for our community," said Tom Head, owner of The WOW Factory. “Come out and have an amazing, awesome, fun and all-around entertainment experience with games and attractions for all ages on Friday and we will donate 20 percent to support their good works.” The WOW Factory has more than 50 games and attractions, including Laser Tag, Ballocity, Adventure Climbing Wall, Sky Trail Elevated Ropes Course, Lazer Frenzy and video and redemption games. Food For The Poor will also have representatives available at the event to help register participants for the walk/run.
You can also register or make a donation to stomp out hunger alongside Jamaican Olympic medal winner Yohan Blake on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7 a.m. at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Fla. While on the website, take advantage of free fundraising tips designed to help you reach your fundraising goal by sharing your ideas with family, friends, co-workers and contacts.
Cost of registration is $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-10. There’s no fee for children 5 and under. The registration cost includes a T-shirt for the first 1,500 who sign up. There will be refreshments, live music, balloon artists, face painters and more at this family event. Registration on the day of the event starts at 6:30 a.m., the walk/run begins at 7 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 8 a.m.
Proceeds from this year’s 5K Walk/Run will assist in feeding destitute families throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. A generous donor has agreed to match every dollar raised with an additional dollar’s worth of food.
Participants are also encouraged to bring cans of food to the 5K Walk/Run to benefit needy families in South Florida. Requested Thanksgiving-themed sides include canned corn, sweet potato, green beans, pumpkin and cranberry sauce.
“We want to help spread Thanksgiving blessings to needy families in our community, too,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO. “With local food pantry shelves practically empty, we want to be able to bring the community together to address the need."
The 5K Walk/Run is presented by Winn-Dixie. Event sponsors are Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Bru’s Room, The Consul General of Jamaica, Corner Bakery Cafe, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Humana, Kona Ice, KPA Promotion, L.A. Fitness, Muffuletta, PNC, Polyglass, Runners Edge, Sun-Sentinel, TeamReliv, The WOW Factory, Tijuana Flats, WATA, Wells Fargo and World of Beer.
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.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Jenna Wolfe, TODAY Co-Anchor, to Headline at Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures Gala
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 6) – Jenna Wolfe, co-anchor of Weekend TODAY, will serve as master of ceremonies for Food For The Poor’s Palm Beach Gala, Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, at The Mar-a-Lago Club, Palm Beach.
Wolfe’s participation is especially meaningful because she was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and proceeds from the gala will fund the expansion and renovation of Bluefields Health Centre. On a daily basis, the staff of the Jamaican health care facility struggles to provide adequate treatment to their patients, including pregnant mothers and sick children.
“I would love to help out, especially since it's a cause near and dear to my heart,” said Wolfe. During an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Wolfe expressed her affection for the Caribbean nation and its sports teams with this statement, “When it comes to track and field in the Olympics, I bleed black, green and gold,” which are the colors of the Jamaican flag.
The annual event is chaired by distinguished Palm Beach philanthropists Patrick Park (Grand Honorary Chair), Arlette Gordon and Elizabeth Bowden (Honorary Chairs), Herme de Wyman Miro (International Chair), Mary Frances Turner (Ladies’ Committee Chair) and Russell Sherrill (Gentlemen’s Committee Chair). Additional committee members include Franklyn de Marco, Michael Dixon, Henry and Mary Virginia Fong, Emilio Guerra, Karen Mason, and Brownie McLean.
The Palm Beach community has worked to transform Gordon’s Village in Bluefields, Jamaica, since 2007 by establishing a self-sustainable fishing village in the community. The project, named in honor of Robert G. Gordon, replaced dilapidated shacks with more than 125 safe, permanent houses, constructed a school for 80 children, built a fish processing facility, and provided residents with access to water and sanitation.
“I encourage members of the Palm Beach community to attend Food For The Poor’s Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures Gala at The Mar-a-Lago Club,” said Park. “The memorable evening with friends will remind us of our many blessings and inspire us to help the underprivileged in the Caribbean who are in desperate need of assistance.”
In addition to Food For The Poor’s international mission, the organization also supports nonprofits that serve South Florida’s neediest.
The Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures Gala opens with a superb wine tasting reception of selected wines sponsored by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. Unique wine selections, jewelry and exotic escapes to such places as Hong Kong are among the varied prizes in the silent and live auctions. The evening culminates with a 4-course gourmet dinner and wine pairing.
For additional information regarding the Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures event, tickets, sponsorship and benefactor levels, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/palmbeach.
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.
Wolfe’s participation is especially meaningful because she was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and proceeds from the gala will fund the expansion and renovation of Bluefields Health Centre. On a daily basis, the staff of the Jamaican health care facility struggles to provide adequate treatment to their patients, including pregnant mothers and sick children.
“I would love to help out, especially since it's a cause near and dear to my heart,” said Wolfe. During an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Wolfe expressed her affection for the Caribbean nation and its sports teams with this statement, “When it comes to track and field in the Olympics, I bleed black, green and gold,” which are the colors of the Jamaican flag.
The annual event is chaired by distinguished Palm Beach philanthropists Patrick Park (Grand Honorary Chair), Arlette Gordon and Elizabeth Bowden (Honorary Chairs), Herme de Wyman Miro (International Chair), Mary Frances Turner (Ladies’ Committee Chair) and Russell Sherrill (Gentlemen’s Committee Chair). Additional committee members include Franklyn de Marco, Michael Dixon, Henry and Mary Virginia Fong, Emilio Guerra, Karen Mason, and Brownie McLean.
The Palm Beach community has worked to transform Gordon’s Village in Bluefields, Jamaica, since 2007 by establishing a self-sustainable fishing village in the community. The project, named in honor of Robert G. Gordon, replaced dilapidated shacks with more than 125 safe, permanent houses, constructed a school for 80 children, built a fish processing facility, and provided residents with access to water and sanitation.
“I encourage members of the Palm Beach community to attend Food For The Poor’s Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures Gala at The Mar-a-Lago Club,” said Park. “The memorable evening with friends will remind us of our many blessings and inspire us to help the underprivileged in the Caribbean who are in desperate need of assistance.”
In addition to Food For The Poor’s international mission, the organization also supports nonprofits that serve South Florida’s neediest.
The Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures Gala opens with a superb wine tasting reception of selected wines sponsored by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. Unique wine selections, jewelry and exotic escapes to such places as Hong Kong are among the varied prizes in the silent and live auctions. The evening culminates with a 4-course gourmet dinner and wine pairing.
For additional information regarding the Fine Wines & Hidden Treasures event, tickets, sponsorship and benefactor levels, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/palmbeach.
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.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Boca Grande Committee Keeps Its Promise - Friendship Village II is Now Home for Dozens of Families in Michaud, Haiti
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 5, 2012) – It’s difficult to believe, but it’s been almost three years since a powerful earthquake rattled Haiti. More than a million people were left homeless, and the country’s capital was quickly peppered with tent cites as far as the eye could see. But since that fateful day, the wheels of progress have been turning, and more than half of those in tents have been relocated out of Port-au-Prince. Unfortunately, a reported 400,000 remain in desperate need of permanent housing.
Thanks to the caring support of the Boca Grande Hope for Haitians Committee and Food For The Poor’s dedicated donors, funding for the Boca Grande Friendship Village II has been completed. Forty families have been relocated from the tents in Port-au-Prince, to their very own homes in Michaud. To date, Boca Grande’s committee members have helped with the construction of 115 homes, several schools and community centers.
“After the earthquake in Haiti, my wife and I had the opportunity to see what these tent cities are like first-hand, and after that experience we knew we had to help,” said Ben Scott, chair of the Boca Grande Hope for Haitians Committee. “We met with the committee and decided that our second village would be designated for families living in the tents. We are very grateful for the opportunity to help these families to get a new start in life.”
Friendship Village II is a community of 40 two-room houses and each house is equipped with a sanitation unit and kitchenette. Each family was given two solar-powered lanterns. Four solar-powered street lamps were also installed for added security. The village also has a community center, 200 fruit trees, 80 goats and a water filtration unit.
“It’s hard to find the words to describe how thankful we are for this new village in Michaud, Haiti,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “Forty families with safe homes became 40 families who are given a hand up towards self-sustainability. Forty self-sustaining families will give hope to many others living in deplorable conditions, while inspiring many compassionate people here to help them in the same way.”
Scott feels it is important for donors to see for themselves how their donations are being used to change the lives of families in Haiti. There will be an inauguration of the Boca Grande Friendship Village II in Michaud, Haiti on January 14 -17, 2013. Committee members and anyone who has a desire to experience this joyous celebration are being invited to join Scott on the three-day trip with Food For The Poor.
Manneville is a small town near Thomazeau in the community of Croix-des-Bouquets, and is surrounded by two lakes: Etang Saumatre and Lac Azuei. It has an estimated population of 52,000. People of Manneville mainly make a living from farming, although it is seasonal. The most common crops cultivated in this area are millet, sugar cane, and onions. However, many do not have the proper farming tools or methods to establish a successful farm. There is a local market and a few small boutiques, but not enough to create employment opportunities for the masses.
Boca Grande Friendship Village III will have the following:
The first community built by Boca Grande through Food For The Poor was the Friendship Village in Pierre Payen, in the Artibonite Region of the country. In 2010, 40 double-unit homes equipped with kitchenettes, sanitation and 200-gallon plastic water cisterns to collect rain water were constructed. In 2011, they completed a school there, added 22 double-unit homes, fruit trees, solar-powered street lights, and added more than 20 cows. In addition, 16 women were given the opportunity for small business ventures.
Committee members include: Ben and Louise Scott, the Rev. Gary Beatty, the Rev. Brian Brightly, the Rev. Jerome Carosella, the Rev. Read Heydt, George and Lois Castrucci, Patricia Chapman, Ray and Iliene Corcoran, Charlie and Florita Field, Evelyn Finnegan, Lou and Corie Fusz, Stephen and Susan Jansen, Tom and Nancy Lorden, Colvin and Madelaine McCrady, and Peter and Elsa Soderberg.
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.
Thanks to the caring support of the Boca Grande Hope for Haitians Committee and Food For The Poor’s dedicated donors, funding for the Boca Grande Friendship Village II has been completed. Forty families have been relocated from the tents in Port-au-Prince, to their very own homes in Michaud. To date, Boca Grande’s committee members have helped with the construction of 115 homes, several schools and community centers.
“After the earthquake in Haiti, my wife and I had the opportunity to see what these tent cities are like first-hand, and after that experience we knew we had to help,” said Ben Scott, chair of the Boca Grande Hope for Haitians Committee. “We met with the committee and decided that our second village would be designated for families living in the tents. We are very grateful for the opportunity to help these families to get a new start in life.”
Friendship Village II is a community of 40 two-room houses and each house is equipped with a sanitation unit and kitchenette. Each family was given two solar-powered lanterns. Four solar-powered street lamps were also installed for added security. The village also has a community center, 200 fruit trees, 80 goats and a water filtration unit.
“It’s hard to find the words to describe how thankful we are for this new village in Michaud, Haiti,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “Forty families with safe homes became 40 families who are given a hand up towards self-sustainability. Forty self-sustaining families will give hope to many others living in deplorable conditions, while inspiring many compassionate people here to help them in the same way.”
Scott feels it is important for donors to see for themselves how their donations are being used to change the lives of families in Haiti. There will be an inauguration of the Boca Grande Friendship Village II in Michaud, Haiti on January 14 -17, 2013. Committee members and anyone who has a desire to experience this joyous celebration are being invited to join Scott on the three-day trip with Food For The Poor.
Scott also will address the Boca Grande Committee at a reception on Feb. 21, 2013, at the historic Gasparilla Inn Beach Club, located at 445 Gilchrist Avenue in Boca Grande, Fla., where he will announce plans for Boca Grande Friendship Village III in Manneville, Haiti.
Boca Grande Friendship Village III will have the following:
- 35 two-room houses with sanitation. Each house will be built with a guttering system on the roof that will be connected to a water cistern, which will provide families with immediate access to rain water.
- 2,000 trees will be planted around the community to reforest the land and also increase fruit bearing trees.
- 100 goats will be distributed to residents in the community. The residents will be properly trained on how to care for the animals.
- 50 residents will receive agricultural tools to help them become more productive farmers.
The first community built by Boca Grande through Food For The Poor was the Friendship Village in Pierre Payen, in the Artibonite Region of the country. In 2010, 40 double-unit homes equipped with kitchenettes, sanitation and 200-gallon plastic water cisterns to collect rain water were constructed. In 2011, they completed a school there, added 22 double-unit homes, fruit trees, solar-powered street lights, and added more than 20 cows. In addition, 16 women were given the opportunity for small business ventures.
Committee members include: Ben and Louise Scott, the Rev. Gary Beatty, the Rev. Brian Brightly, the Rev. Jerome Carosella, the Rev. Read Heydt, George and Lois Castrucci, Patricia Chapman, Ray and Iliene Corcoran, Charlie and Florita Field, Evelyn Finnegan, Lou and Corie Fusz, Stephen and Susan Jansen, Tom and Nancy Lorden, Colvin and Madelaine McCrady, and Peter and Elsa Soderberg.
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.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Food For The Poor Joins the National #GivingTuesday Movement
COCONUT Creek,
Fla., (Oct. 30, 2012)
– Food For The Poor has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort that
will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners – charities,
families, businesses and individuals – to transform how people think about the giving
season.
Coinciding
with the Thanksgiving holiday, the first #GivingTuesday will be Nov. 27, 2012,
and will use the power of social media to create a national movement. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become
synonymous with shopping, and the goal is to make #GivingTuesday synonymous
with giving back, and to kick off the season of sharing.
“Food
For The Poor is extremely excited and proud to be a part of this movement,
where dozens of nonprofits working in the United States and in various
countries are spreading the news about the beauty of giving back,” said Angel
Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “It is my hope that individuals
who learn about #GivingTuesday will support their charities and causes of
choice and take part in helping to create a better world.”
To join
Food For The Poor’s #GivingTuesday initiative, visit www.foodforthepoor.org/givingtuesday.
View
our gift catalog video at www.foodforthepoor.org/givingtuesdayvideo
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 will provide an income and a
source of nutrition for destitute families.
#GivingTuesday is endorsed by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, Dorothy A. Johnson Center
on Philanthropy, Giving
Institute, Giving USA Foundation
and InterAction. Charity Navigator and
GuideStar are serving as Charity Advisors. VolunteerMatch is a volunteer
advisor to #GivingTuesday.
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 96 percent of all donations going
directly to programs that help the poor.
YB Afraid Foundation and Food For The Poor Assist Hurricane Sandy Victims in Jamaica
YB Afraid Foundation and Food For The Poor Assist Hurricane Sandy Victims in Jamaica
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/30/12
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YB Afraid, Olympic medal winner Yohan Blake's foundation, made a monetary donation that was matched by Food For The Poor to assist families that were affected by Hurricane Sandy in Fruitful Vale and Norwich, in Portland. |
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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct 30, 2012) --- Hurricane Sandy victims in Fruitful Vale and Norwich in Portland, Jamaica, were relieved when a caravan of containers and trucks maneuvered past downed power lines and debris to bring them emergency relief assistance on Sunday, Oct. 28. YB Afraid Foundation and Food For The Poor partnered to bring the critically needed supplies to approximately 700 people in urgent need of assistance.
YB Afraid, Yohan Blake’s foundation, made a monetary donation that was matched by Food For The Poor, and assisted in the delivery of food, WATA brand water bottles, mattresses, blankets, and shoes to soaked Hurricane Sandy victims. In November, Blake will lead Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger in Deerfield Beach, Fla. Proceeds from the 5K Walk/Run will raise money to purchase food to feed destitute families in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The presence of the 28 Food For The Poor staff members and volunteers wearing the charity’s and YB Afraid Foundation shirts offered residents comfort and hope.
“No other organization has come in to help since the passage of the hurricane,” said Kedine White, a Fruitful Vale resident. “This is the first form of help we are getting, I am truly appreciative and I know the other residents are too.”
In Portland, many residents reported having the roofs of their homes ripped off, and creeping ocean flood waters seeping in around windows and doors, filling homes with mud. The hurricane strength wind gusts and merciless rain bands have magnified the need for safe, permanent housing in Jamaica.
"My daughter and I were badly affected by the Hurricane,” said White. “I am so thankful to Food For The Poor for the help, especially the mattress, because we have been sleeping on a damp bed since the hurricane and my daughter's asthma has been acting up ever since. Now we have somewhere dry to sleep at night."
The storm's aftermath will be difficult for the island's farmers who report that ripe fruit was stripped from trees, banana trees were flattened, and pepper plants submerged in mud. Many impoverished Jamaicans rely on the land for food, as they cannot afford to purchase food items. Once the fallen fruit has been eaten, many will face malnutrition.
“The storm did a lot of damage in Portland,” said Blake. “A lot of people are suffering without shelter or even food to eat. I am glad to be in a position to help. Through my foundation's partnership with Food For The Poor and WATA on this project we are able to make a positive difference in the lives of those suffering."
Storm relief items from Food For The Poor-Jamaica’s warehouse in Kingston are being distributed and additional containers are expected to arrive soon. The most urgent need now is for cash donations so that food supplies can be replenished, and new homes can be built to prevent any more deaths from landslides.
You can also help by signing up online to fight hunger alongside Jamaican Olympic medal winner Blake on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7 a.m. at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Register to participate in the charity’s 5K Walk/Run online at www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk. While on the website, take advantage of free fundraising tips designed to help you reach your fundraising goal by sharing your ideas with family, friends, co-workers and contacts.
Cost of registration is $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-10. There’s no fee for children 5 and under. The registration cost includes a T-shirt for the first 1,500 who sign up. There will be refreshments, live music, balloon artists, face painters and more at this family event. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m., the walk/run begins at 7 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 8 a.m.
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
Orlando Residents Celebrate the Joy of Rebuilding Homes in Haiti
ORLANDO (Oct. 30, 2012) – Thanks to the generosity of Orlando residents attending Food For The Poor’s 13th annual A Celebration of Hope gala on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, funds were raised to construct a village in Haiti. Families who have remained homeless since the devastating 2010 earthquake will receive safe, permanent Food For The Poor homes in Emmanuel Village VII, the seventh village constructed from funds raised through the yearly gala.
“Emmanuel Village VII will be a living example of how lives can be changed and hope can be restored,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “You have made a tangible difference in the lives of those who suffer, and those who have felt abandoned by the world in Manneville, Haiti.”
In August, Dr. Lynne Nasrallah, who serves on the Food For The Poor Board of Directors and as the gala’s Chairwoman, traveled to Manneville with several committee members. There they met the families who will receive the new homes.
A Celebration of Hope gala committee members included Anibal and Maritza Beltran, Linda Bonnewitz, The del Campo Family, Janice Chong, Trevor and Freda Dieffenthaller,
Cynthia Hawkins, Jackie Heaps, Marissa Iannaccone, Rebecca James, Dr. Anis Khalaf, Kathy Kinchla, Donna Larson, Bernadette McComb, Laura McDonald, Paul Mylod, Dr. Desirae Nasrallah, Nicole Nasrallah, Robin Neel, Lisa Padilla, Nancy Padilla, Patricia Perfito, Anne Pinkosh, Amira Rodriguez, Roseline and Pelfrine Saint-Fort, The Santana Family, Marie Schwarz, Ryan Shaughnessy, Kelly Wilkes, Holly Wilson, and Jean and Donna Wilson.
“A great deal remains to be done, but together with your tremendous support, we can continue to help desperate and homeless Haitians,” said Mahfood. “You will forever change the lives of those who live in cardboard shacks and fragile tents with little or no protection from natural disasters, insects and rodents.” At the gala, Winter Park Construction built a prefabricated 12-by-12 foot house in the ballroom so that guests could see first hand how a modest house in Haiti can make a significant difference in the lives of the truly destitute.
Food For The Poor builds safe, permanent two-room houses with sanitation and access to water for families in need of shelter. Thanks to the ongoing support of Orlando residents, gala proceeds have relocated more than 636 families from garbage-filled swamps, and moved them into secure two-room Food For The Poor homes.
For additional information regarding A Celebration of Hope gala and future sponsorship opportunities, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/orlando.
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.
“Emmanuel Village VII will be a living example of how lives can be changed and hope can be restored,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “You have made a tangible difference in the lives of those who suffer, and those who have felt abandoned by the world in Manneville, Haiti.”
In August, Dr. Lynne Nasrallah, who serves on the Food For The Poor Board of Directors and as the gala’s Chairwoman, traveled to Manneville with several committee members. There they met the families who will receive the new homes.
A Celebration of Hope gala committee members included Anibal and Maritza Beltran, Linda Bonnewitz, The del Campo Family, Janice Chong, Trevor and Freda Dieffenthaller,
Cynthia Hawkins, Jackie Heaps, Marissa Iannaccone, Rebecca James, Dr. Anis Khalaf, Kathy Kinchla, Donna Larson, Bernadette McComb, Laura McDonald, Paul Mylod, Dr. Desirae Nasrallah, Nicole Nasrallah, Robin Neel, Lisa Padilla, Nancy Padilla, Patricia Perfito, Anne Pinkosh, Amira Rodriguez, Roseline and Pelfrine Saint-Fort, The Santana Family, Marie Schwarz, Ryan Shaughnessy, Kelly Wilkes, Holly Wilson, and Jean and Donna Wilson.
“A great deal remains to be done, but together with your tremendous support, we can continue to help desperate and homeless Haitians,” said Mahfood. “You will forever change the lives of those who live in cardboard shacks and fragile tents with little or no protection from natural disasters, insects and rodents.” At the gala, Winter Park Construction built a prefabricated 12-by-12 foot house in the ballroom so that guests could see first hand how a modest house in Haiti can make a significant difference in the lives of the truly destitute.
Food For The Poor builds safe, permanent two-room houses with sanitation and access to water for families in need of shelter. Thanks to the ongoing support of Orlando residents, gala proceeds have relocated more than 636 families from garbage-filled swamps, and moved them into secure two-room Food For The Poor homes.
For additional information regarding A Celebration of Hope gala and future sponsorship opportunities, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/orlando.
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.
Monday, October 29, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
All-Nighter Empowers Students, Unites Campuses, Fights Hunger
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 18, 2012) – In South Florida, students at Broward College (BC), Florida International University (FIU) and the University of Miami (UM) are organizing campus events to commemorate World Food Day in partnership with the international relief and development organization Food For The Poor.
“I am eager to work with this organization to help raise funds for Guatemala through All-Nighters for the Poor,” said Javonia Robinson, a freshman majoring in public relations at BC’s South Campus. “No matter how different our geographic regions or cultures, we all affect one another in a major way.”
On Thursday, Oct. 25, BC South Campus will host A Taste of Guatemala from noon to 2 p.m. for $5 a plate. At 12:45 p.m., history professors Edward Cornejo and Rudy Jean-Bart will lead a discussion on the historical and current economic and political issues in Guatemala. Participating groups include ENC1102, ASPIRA and Phi Theta Kappa. Plan to enjoy traditional Guatemalan dishes and a slice of flan with your friends in the Southern Breezes Café in Building #68 at 7200 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, Fla.
FIU’s Student Alumni Association is organizing All-Nighter events to take place Friday, Nov. 9, at the Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami and Modesto A. Maidique Campus in western Miami-Dade County. That same night BC North Campus’ Caribbean Student Association (CSA) will host their All-Nighter. UM’s CSA and Butler Center for Volunteer Services and Leadership Development will schedule the campus’ All-Nighter in either November or December.
Students are encouraged to promote these campus events via social networking sites, and to register online at www.AllNighterForThePoor.org.
The goal of the All-Nighter program is to encourage students nationwide to host events on their campus to increase awareness about malnutrition and to fund self-sustaining solutions to poverty – such as tilapia ponds and animal husbandry projects – to alleviate hunger in developing countries.
“Throughout the world there are people that are not as fortunate as we are,” said Pratima Ramdeo, BC North’s CSA President. “CSA wants to give these families in Guatemala the privilege of not having to worry about where they'll get food to feed their kids or even themselves.”
Funds raised during the 2012 All-Nighter for the Poor will provide destitute families in Guatemala Everything for Families with Nothing, including:
• Safe and secure homes with sanitation
• Rice and beans for one full year
• School supplies for two children per household (including books and uniforms)
• Clothing and shoes
• A self-sustainable project for a source of income and nutrition.
The campus that raises the most funds will have a street in the new Food For The Poor village named in its honor.
Are you ready to change the world? To learn more, visit www.AllNighterForThePoor.org. For more information, please call 1-877-654-2960, ext. 6069 or email moniques@foodforthepoor.com.
Funds from past events have gone to life-saving projects, such as:
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.
“I am eager to work with this organization to help raise funds for Guatemala through All-Nighters for the Poor,” said Javonia Robinson, a freshman majoring in public relations at BC’s South Campus. “No matter how different our geographic regions or cultures, we all affect one another in a major way.”
On Thursday, Oct. 25, BC South Campus will host A Taste of Guatemala from noon to 2 p.m. for $5 a plate. At 12:45 p.m., history professors Edward Cornejo and Rudy Jean-Bart will lead a discussion on the historical and current economic and political issues in Guatemala. Participating groups include ENC1102, ASPIRA and Phi Theta Kappa. Plan to enjoy traditional Guatemalan dishes and a slice of flan with your friends in the Southern Breezes Café in Building #68 at 7200 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, Fla.
FIU’s Student Alumni Association is organizing All-Nighter events to take place Friday, Nov. 9, at the Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami and Modesto A. Maidique Campus in western Miami-Dade County. That same night BC North Campus’ Caribbean Student Association (CSA) will host their All-Nighter. UM’s CSA and Butler Center for Volunteer Services and Leadership Development will schedule the campus’ All-Nighter in either November or December.
Students are encouraged to promote these campus events via social networking sites, and to register online at www.AllNighterForThePoor.org.
The goal of the All-Nighter program is to encourage students nationwide to host events on their campus to increase awareness about malnutrition and to fund self-sustaining solutions to poverty – such as tilapia ponds and animal husbandry projects – to alleviate hunger in developing countries.
“Throughout the world there are people that are not as fortunate as we are,” said Pratima Ramdeo, BC North’s CSA President. “CSA wants to give these families in Guatemala the privilege of not having to worry about where they'll get food to feed their kids or even themselves.”
Funds raised during the 2012 All-Nighter for the Poor will provide destitute families in Guatemala Everything for Families with Nothing, including:
• Safe and secure homes with sanitation
• Rice and beans for one full year
• School supplies for two children per household (including books and uniforms)
• Clothing and shoes
• A self-sustainable project for a source of income and nutrition.
The campus that raises the most funds will have a street in the new Food For The Poor village named in its honor.
Are you ready to change the world? To learn more, visit www.AllNighterForThePoor.org. For more information, please call 1-877-654-2960, ext. 6069 or email moniques@foodforthepoor.com.
Funds from past events have gone to life-saving projects, such as:
- All-Nighter I (2009): Funded the Harvesting Hope For Haiti Tilapia Farm in Delogner, Haiti. It is a four-pond tilapia farm, with each pond accommodating up to 7,000 fish.
- All-Nighter II (2010): Funded the Renewing Hope Tilapia Farm in Fond Des Blanc, Haiti. This four-pond tilapia farm has a submersible pump powered by solar panels.
- All-Nighter II (2010): Funded the Renewing Hope II Tilapia Farm in Cuperlier, Petite Goave, Haiti.
- All-Nighter III (2011): Funded a pangasius farm in Haiti.
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.
Register to stomp out hunger with Olympic Medalist Yohan Blake and Food For The Poor
With only a month remaining, now is the time to register for Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger. Sign up online to stomp out hunger alongside Jamaican Olympic medal winner Yohan Blake on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7 a.m. at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Register to participate in the charity’s 5K Walk/Run online at www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk. While on the website, take advantage of free fundraising tips designed to help you reach your fundraising goal by sharing your ideas with family, friends, co-workers and contacts.
Cost of registration is $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-10. There’s no fee for children 5 and under. The registration cost includes a T-shirt for the first 1,500 who sign up. There will be refreshments, live music, balloon artists, face painters and more at this family event. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m., the run/walk begins at 7 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 8 a.m.
“I know what it is to be hungry and so I respect what they are doing,” said Blake, nicknamed “The Beast” by his teammates. “Food For The Poor is one of the most important charities in the Western Hemisphere.”
Proceeds from this year’s 5K Walk/Run will raise money to purchase food to feed destitute families in the Caribbean and Latin America. A generous donor has agreed to match every dollar raised with an additional dollar’s worth of food.
Participants are also encouraged to bring cans of food to the 5K Walk/Run to benefit needy families in South Florida. Requested Thanksgiving-themed sides include canned corn, sweet potato, green beans, pumpkin and cranberry sauce.
“We want to help spread Thanksgiving blessings to needy families in our community, too,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO. “With local food pantry shelves practically empty, we want to be able to bring the community together to address the need."
Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, will join Blake at the walk/run. Martinez traveled to Jamaica in August to cover the island-nation’s 50-year anniversary of independence. While in Jamaica, Martinez saw the poverty firsthand.
Medallions will be given to top finishers of each age group. Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run will be timed by Accuchip Timing on a certified course in Quiet Waters Park.
The 5K Walk/Run is presented by Winn-Dixie. Event sponsors are Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Corner Bakery Cafe, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, PNC, Polyglass, Runners Edge, Sun Sentinel, TeamReliv, WATA, Wells Fargo, and World of Beer.
Yohan Blake limited edition commemorative WATA bottles will be distributed at the walk/run.
There will be several opportunities to help and have fun before the walk/run.
• On Sunday, Oct. 28, bring your friends to Bru’s Room in Coconut Creek to register for the walk/run and to watch the 1 p.m. kickoff of the Miami Dolphins v. New York Jets. Win prizes, and play the Quarterback toss game at Bru’s Room, 5460 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Coconut Creek, Fla.
• Winn-Dixie, the event’s presenting sponsor, will host a wine sampling compliments of Barefoot Wine & Bubbly on Friday, Nov. 2 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Invite your friends and teammates to stop by to learn more about the nonprofit, and win prizes at Winn-Dixie, 5600 West Sample Road, Margate, Fla.
• On Friday, Nov. 9, The WOW Factory will give thanks and donate 20 percent of the $20 admission fee to Coconut Creek-based nonprofits. Come enjoy the attractions and play unlimited video games while benefiting charity from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The WOW Factory, 5891 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Fla.
• Tickets to the Miami Dolphins v. Seattle Seahawks game on Sunday, Nov. 25, can be purchased for $45. A percentage of the ticket sales through the nonprofit will be contributed to the walk/run’s final donation tally. To order tickets, or to request additional information, please send an email to events@FoodForThePoor.com.
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.
Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com
Register to participate in the charity’s 5K Walk/Run online at www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk. While on the website, take advantage of free fundraising tips designed to help you reach your fundraising goal by sharing your ideas with family, friends, co-workers and contacts.
Cost of registration is $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-10. There’s no fee for children 5 and under. The registration cost includes a T-shirt for the first 1,500 who sign up. There will be refreshments, live music, balloon artists, face painters and more at this family event. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m., the run/walk begins at 7 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 8 a.m.
“I know what it is to be hungry and so I respect what they are doing,” said Blake, nicknamed “The Beast” by his teammates. “Food For The Poor is one of the most important charities in the Western Hemisphere.”
Proceeds from this year’s 5K Walk/Run will raise money to purchase food to feed destitute families in the Caribbean and Latin America. A generous donor has agreed to match every dollar raised with an additional dollar’s worth of food.
Participants are also encouraged to bring cans of food to the 5K Walk/Run to benefit needy families in South Florida. Requested Thanksgiving-themed sides include canned corn, sweet potato, green beans, pumpkin and cranberry sauce.
“We want to help spread Thanksgiving blessings to needy families in our community, too,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO. “With local food pantry shelves practically empty, we want to be able to bring the community together to address the need."
Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, will join Blake at the walk/run. Martinez traveled to Jamaica in August to cover the island-nation’s 50-year anniversary of independence. While in Jamaica, Martinez saw the poverty firsthand.
Medallions will be given to top finishers of each age group. Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run will be timed by Accuchip Timing on a certified course in Quiet Waters Park.
The 5K Walk/Run is presented by Winn-Dixie. Event sponsors are Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Corner Bakery Cafe, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, PNC, Polyglass, Runners Edge, Sun Sentinel, TeamReliv, WATA, Wells Fargo, and World of Beer.
Yohan Blake limited edition commemorative WATA bottles will be distributed at the walk/run.
There will be several opportunities to help and have fun before the walk/run.
• On Sunday, Oct. 28, bring your friends to Bru’s Room in Coconut Creek to register for the walk/run and to watch the 1 p.m. kickoff of the Miami Dolphins v. New York Jets. Win prizes, and play the Quarterback toss game at Bru’s Room, 5460 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Coconut Creek, Fla.
• Winn-Dixie, the event’s presenting sponsor, will host a wine sampling compliments of Barefoot Wine & Bubbly on Friday, Nov. 2 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Invite your friends and teammates to stop by to learn more about the nonprofit, and win prizes at Winn-Dixie, 5600 West Sample Road, Margate, Fla.
• On Friday, Nov. 9, The WOW Factory will give thanks and donate 20 percent of the $20 admission fee to Coconut Creek-based nonprofits. Come enjoy the attractions and play unlimited video games while benefiting charity from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The WOW Factory, 5891 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Fla.
• Tickets to the Miami Dolphins v. Seattle Seahawks game on Sunday, Nov. 25, can be purchased for $45. A percentage of the ticket sales through the nonprofit will be contributed to the walk/run’s final donation tally. To order tickets, or to request additional information, please send an email to events@FoodForThePoor.com.
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.
Contact:
Jennifer Leigh Oates
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
jennifero@foodforthepoor.com
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