Chronicle of Philanthropy ranking

	Children concentrate on their studies at a school in Jamaica supported by Food For The Poor donors.
Related Items: How to Help Donor Testimonials

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 24, 2013) – The Chronicle of Philanthropy today named Food For The Poor the largest international relief and development organization in the United States. The annual survey lists the top charities that raise the most money from private sources.

“We are grateful for the many donors who feel moved to serve the poor, and in doing so help us reach an ever-wider circle of need,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “Because of them, last year we were able to distribute more than $900 million in aid.”

The charity watchdog survey also ranked the Christian-based ministry, Food For The Poor, as the 10th largest overall charity out of 400 nonprofits surveyed nationwide. On the state level, Food For The Poor retained the number one slot as the largest charitable organization in Florida. The rankings appear in the 22nd edition of The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual “Philanthropy 400” report.

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

Jamaica's New Consul General

	(L to R) Dale Jones, Deputy Consul General; Franz Hall, Jamaica's Consul General to Miami; and Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor's President/CEO.
Related Item: Register for the 5K Walk/Run

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 24, 2013) – Food For The Poor’s President/CEO met with Jamaica’s new Consul General to Miami at the charity’s headquarters in Coconut Creek, Fla., Tuesday to discuss how the Jamaican Diaspora could continue to support the nonprofit’s initiatives. 

“Food For The Poor reaches into every aspect of Jamaican life and maintains a commitment to aiding Jamaica’s poor,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO, as he thanked Consul General Franz Hall for meeting with Food For The Poor representatives within weeks of starting his new appointment.

Mahfood and Hall agreed that the key to breaking the cycle of poverty is education. In celebration of Jamaica’s 50 years of independence in 2012, Food For The Poor committed to build or improve 50 schools in 50 months across the island. This campaign is ahead of schedule, with 17 more schools to be completed.

“Food For The Poor’s Jamaica 50 Campaign is creating avenues for teachers to deliver their craft,” said Hall, after he learned that the charity also pays to train the teachers.

Hall pledged to show his support for Food For The Poor’s 2013 5K Walk/Run For Hunger, which will be led by Jamaican Olympic medal winner Yohan Blake on Saturday, Nov. 2, at T.Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park in Hollywood, Fla. Hall and Jamaican Diaspora members will walk or run to raise money to feed starving children and celebrate afterward with Blake. Last year approximately one thousand participants were motivated to cross the finish line by Blake and Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon.

For more information about the 5K Walk/Run For Hunger, please call 954-427-2222, ext. 6854. Registration starts at 7 a.m., the walk/run begins at 8 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 9 a.m. Parking is free. To participate, you can register and donate online at www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk. A generous donor has agreed to match every dollar raised with an additional dollar’s worth of food.

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

Haiti Hospital to Get Water

	Brenda Wood and Garvin Stewart.
Related Items: See Photos from the Event Donate to Help Build Hospital Tour the Hospital

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2013) – Hundreds of Atlanta-area residents attended Food For The Poor’s 6th annual Caribbean-themed Dreams Across The Sea Gala, presented by W Atlanta-Midtown, Saturday, Sept. 28, to deliver life saving medical resources and clean water to Haiti.

“Making a difference is one of the greatest privileges we enjoy,” said Saurel Quettan, a gala co-chairman. 

Brenda Wood, co-anchor for 11 Alive News and The Daily 11, served as the gala’s master of ceremonies. The Emmy-award winning anchor conveyed to guests the critical importance of raising money to update the water and sanitation systems at Bernard Mevs Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The hospital has to truck in clean water for the doctors and patients, and in some parts of the hospital there is no running water at all. In a country that has lost approximately 8,300 lives to cholera since 2010, clean water is critical to minimizing the spread of infection and improving the overall healthcare at the hospital.

Food For The Poor also supplies Bernard Mevs Hospital with high-tech diagnostic equipment, hospital beds, and pharmaceuticals. The hospital’s top surgeons, Dr. Jerry Bitar and Dr. Marlon Bitar, have committed their lives to serving the poor.

“They are doing a great job,” said Robin Mahfood, Food For The Poor’s President/CEO, in a video that shows the hospital’s needs and work.

Guests also enjoyed an elegant evening of exceptional dining and live music. Bidding on silent auction prizes, such as electronics, jewelry, luxury vacations, golf outings and dining packages, offered another opportunity for guests to support the cause.

Afterward, the guests participated in a water rally to raise money for the project to provide clean water for some of the hospital’s youngest and most vulnerable patients.

Dreams Across The Sea Gala Co-Chairmen are Saurel Quettan and Garvin Stewart. Additional committee members include Dr. Paula Nelson Adesokan, Scott and Kari Bardowell, Verlyn Britton, Treza Brooms-Johnson, Ed Buckley, Chris Curry, Gina Frasier, Nekeidra Frederick, Jean Hanges, Sheryl McCalla, Sylvia McClure, Marie-Ann Perez, Dr. Jason Regis, and Michelle Wattley.

To make a donation to bring access to clean water to the Bernard Mevs Hospital, please call 888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/atlanta.

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

Charity Wins Major Award

	Food For The Poor wins the Direct Marketing Association's prestigious 2013 International ECHO™ Ultimate Team Award. The international relief and development organization was honored for its direct mail campaign “A Stitch and a Prayer” during the 2013 ECHO™ Awards Ceremony & Gala at the McCormick Place West Convention Center in Chicago, Ill., Tuesday night.

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 16, 2013) – The Direct Marketing Association has awarded Food For The Poor its 2013 DMA International ECHO™ Ultimate Team Award. The international relief and development organization was honored for its direct mail campaign “A Stitch and a Prayer” during the 2013 ECHO Awards Ceremony & Gala at the McCormick Place West Convention Center in Chicago, Ill., Tuesday night.
Introduced in 1929 as the “Best in Direct Mail” contest, the DMA International ECHO™ Awards honor excellence in creativity, marketing strategy, and response results in direct marketing campaigns. 

“We are truly honored and humbled to have received the DMA’s golden trophy for the Ultimate Team category, because it really was a team effort for our organization to come up with this beautiful and powerful idea for this direct mail campaign,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “More importantly, through a ‘Stitch and a Prayer’ more than 1,500 families will receive safe and secure two-room homes.” 

The campaign “A Stitch and a Prayer” focused on the life-threatening conditions of the poor living in areas of Nicaragua, Honduras and Jamaica. It highlighted the Reyes family’s ramshackle, makeshift hovel in Nicaragua that was literally stitched together with string. When Food For The Poor’s research team came across the Reyes’ home, the “A Stitch and a Prayer” was born. The charity’s Donor Relations department followed through with a strategic phone campaign.

DMA represents thousands of companies and nonprofit organizations that use and support data-driven marketing practices and techniques in 40 countries. With entries submitted by direct response agencies worldwide, DMA’s annual ECHO™ Awards recognize every type of media used in direct and interactive marketing campaigns.
DMA acknowledged that the number of entries in this year’s competition made the selection process particularly challenging for its judges.

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

Plans for Basic School

	Kate and Chris Davitt, President of Ruppert Landscape.
Related Items: See Photos from the Event Donate to Help Build School Watch a Video of 2013's Building Trip

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 16, 2013) – D.C. and Baltimore-area residents attended an exclusive rooftop cocktail reception on Thursday, Oct. 3, to raise money to construct a Food For The Poor basic school in St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica.

Many of the guests at the private reception high above Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., have journeyed to Jamaica with the charity, and recounted about their past building trips. John Gerold, Senior Vice President of RBC Wealth Management in Chevy Chase, Md., was inspired to host the reception after he traveled with the group earlier this year. Gerold and his daughter, Lyndsey, have traveled twice with Food For The Poor.

“Twelve years ago, I traveled to Jamaica with Chris Davitt and Craig Ruppert on their first building trip with Food For The Poor,” said Angel Aloma, Food For The Poor’s Executive Director. “Their passion for the cause is evident in their continued commitment to return year after year, with more and more families and friends to participate in the construction of schools and homes built in partnership with the charity.”

“Even though I have traveled with Food For The Poor many times, I always return reminded of the vital importance of the charity’s work,” said Craig Ruppert, Founder and CEO of Ruppert Landscape. “The impoverished in Jamaica treat us like we are family, which is just one reason we want to continue to return.”

The next building mission trip is scheduled for Feb. 14-17. In addition to serving the poor, it offers opportunities for families to reconnect and strengthen their relationships. 

“I believe one unexpected benefit of these trips is that parents and children both learn that giving back is not a sacrifice at all, it’s fulfilling,” said Chris Davitt, President of Ruppert Landscape.

The annual trips also offer an opportunity to show young adults the importance and benefits of being good stewards and team players.

Annie Donatelli and Kathleen Greene spoke at the reception about their personal mission trip experiences, and how the trips have encouraged them to take a more active role to help the poor.

“Meeting the people who are going to live in the houses or schools we are building is a huge part of the experience because they are very willing to help and be a part of what you are doing,” said Donatelli, a student at Connelly School of the Holy Child in Potomac, Md. “They are very happy with what they have and that to me, really shows how grateful we should be in our lives.”

“The thing that makes Jamaica so rewarding and unique is that you get to have face-to-face interaction with those you are helping; and you get to enjoy the pleasure of seeing their faces light up with happiness because of the work that we do,” said Donatelli, who has traveled the past three years with her mom, sister and brother. “This type of direct service makes you very mindful of the struggles people are going through in different parts of the world.”

“The Food For The Poor trip to Jamaica is an opportunity to help and be helped,” said Greene, a student at Georgetown Visitation in Washington, D.C., during her speech. She has traveled twice before with the group, and plans to return in 2014. “It’s a unique and moving experience that has made a huge impact on me and my dad. I even met a piece of me that I didn’t know – I really don’t mind hard work.”

Committee members included Teri Boragno, Lou Caceres, Chris Davitt, Mary Donatelli, John Gerold, Andrew Greene, Kim and Paul Griffith, Scott Livingston, Battista Orcino, and Craig Ruppert.

Event sponsors included Ruppert Landscape (Platinum Sponsor), Duke Realty (Gold Sponsor), RBC Wealth Management (Silver Sponsor), Sandy Spring Bank (Silver Sponsor), Merrill Lynch Wealth Management (Silver Sponsor), Calvert Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center (Silver Sponsor), and Connelly School of The Holy Child (Bronze Sponsor).

To make a donation to the school building fund please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/dc.

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

ABC Anchor to Emcee Gala

	TV anchor Jorge Estevez will serve as master of ceremonies for A Celebration of Hope gala.
Related Items: Reserve Your Seat See Photos of Ganthier

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 10, 2013) – Jorge Estevez, anchor for WFTV Channel 9 and WRDQ Channel 27, will serve as master of ceremonies for Food For The Poor’s  A Celebration of Hope gala presented by Rosen Shingle Creek and Rosen Hotels & Resorts in Orlando on Saturday, Oct. 19. Estevez traveled to Haiti with Food For The Poor to report on the charity’s rebuilding efforts after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Similarly, two groups of Orlando residents have journeyed to Ganthier, Haiti, in the past five months to witness firsthand the need. Proceeds from the gala will be used to replace the dilapidated mud-and-stick huts in Ganthier with sturdy Food For The Poor homes.

“This area is remote and utterly desolate,” said Dr. Lynne Nasrallah, who serves on the Food For The Poor Board of Directors and as the gala’s Chairwoman. “The closer the van got, the more my heart ached for the inhabitants. Here, I felt like I had arrived in the deepest bowels of Haiti. The huts are primitively made out of mud, clay, twigs and discarded plastic materials. These huts offer no protection from the wind or the rain. Many, many children were scantily clothed or totally naked and mostly covered in dirt. The children ran up to us and crawled into our arms.”

One of the mothers they met lives with her five children. They sleep on a dirt floor and often have nothing to eat. All night long, the older children vigilantly attempt to swat the bugs off the smaller children. Their hut and few worldly possessions are at constant risk of flooding. During storms, the local families must evacuate to higher ground. The school is the community’s best option for shelter, even though the structure’s exterior walls do not reach from floor to ceiling.

“We are so very lucky in this country,” said Kay Rawlins, Director of Community Relations for Orlando City Soccer Club, after she returned from the recent trip to Haiti. “We have way more than we need, or use; and we should be a good neighbor and help these communities that are not so very far away.” Rawlins and the other Orlando-area travelers were in disbelief that people could survive the harsh conditions in Ganthier.

A Celebration of Hope gala attendees will be invited to help build critically-needed houses for these families during the charity’s live house-rally. For additional information regarding A Celebration of Hope gala, sponsorship levels, and tickets, available at $175 per person, please call 1-888-404-4248 or visit www.FoodForThePoor.org/orlando.

At the gala, Dwight and Lisa Saathoff will be honored as the 2013 Ambassadors For The Poor for their continued commitment to build critically-needed houses for families. Their passion to help the destitute also has had a profound impact on their son Patrick, 16. Last summer he chose to travel on a mission trip with Food For The Poor instead of vacationing in Hawaii. 

The gala’s presenting sponsor is Rosen Shingle Creek and Rosen Hotels & Resorts. Gala sponsors include Almar Travel, Greenburg Trauig, Jallad Family Insurance, Marriott Spirit to Serve in Central Florida, Newsome Melton LLP, Pan American Grain, Provinsure, and S1-Safety 1st Drug Testing.

A Celebration of Hope gala executive committee members include Anibal and Maritza Beltran, Jason Gingras, Cynthia Hawkins, Rebecca James, Marie Morales Johnson, Dr. Anis Khalaf, Kathy Kinchla, Brad Levine, Bernadette McComb, Paul Mylod, and Ryan Shaughnessy. Additional committee members include Linda Bonnewitz, The del Campo Family, Janice Chong, Trevor and Freda Dieffenthaller, Jackie Heaps, Patty Holland, Donna Larson, Laura McDonald, Dr. Desirae Nasrallah, Nicole Nasrallah, Robin Neel, Lisa Padilla, Nancy Padilla, Patricia Perfito, Anne Pinkosh, Amira Rodriguez, The Saint-Fort Family, The Santana Family, Marie Schwarz, Kelly Wilkes, Holly Wilson, and Jean and Donna Wilson.

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

Yohan Blake to Lead Race

	Racers take off with Yohan Blake, center, at the starting line in last year's 5K Walk/Run.
Related Items: Register Today Walk For Hunger Facebook Page

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2013) – Jamaican Olympic medal winner Yohan Blake will lead Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 a.m. at T.Y. (Topeekeegee Yugnee) Park in Hollywood, Fla. Blake, nicknamed “The Beast,” is the current world champion over 100 meters and a silver medalist at the  2012 Olympics in London  in the 100 and 200 meters.

“I encourage the South Florida community to come out to support Food For The Poor’s 5K Walk/Run For Hunger,” said Blake, one of the world’s fastest sprinters. “I am looking forward to this year’s competition.”

Jason Martinez, co-anchor for WPLG-TV ABC Local 10 Morning News and Local 10 News at Noon, also will join walk/run participants as they raise money to feed starving children and their families in the Caribbean and Latin America.

“I know what it is to be hungry and so I respect what Food For The Poor is doing,” said Blake, who is leading the walk for the second year in a row, and who founded his own charity, YB Afraid Foundation. “It is a cause that’s near to my heart as a Jamaican, and I’m happy to be part of something so special.”

Register and donate online at www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk. This year your donations will go twice as far, as a generous donor has agreed to match every dollar raised with an additional dollar’s worth of food.

Incentives for fundraising through Nov. 2, 2013 include:

• Raise $50 – receive the official 5K Walk/Run For Hunger T-shirt
• Raise $100 – receive a goody bag of prizes and the official 5K Walk/Run For Hunger T-shirt
• Raise $250 – receive a V.I.P. pass to the Caribbean Tent, an entry to win a $500 Winn-Dixie Shopping Spree, a goody bag of prizes, and the official 5K Walk/Run For Hunger T-shirt.

The fee for runners is $30 in advance, and $35 the day of the event. Medals will be given to top runners of each age group. Race timing will be provided by AccuChip. There is no fee to participate as a walker, but both runners and walkers are encouraged to raise at least $50. Parking is free.

For more information, please call 954-427-2222, ext. 6854 or email RachelP@foodforthepoor.com. You can also register the day of the event. Registration starts at 7 a.m., the walk/run begins at 8 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 9 a.m.

The 5K Walk/Run event sponsors are Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Charter Schools USA, Consul General of Jamaica, Dennis Charley & Associates, Enterprise, Gallery 2014, Iberia Bank, KPA Promotions, Orange Theory Fitness, Panda Express, Polyglass, Runners Depot, Sun-Sentinel, Tri-Rail, Vector Security, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, WATA, and Wells Fargo.

WATA bottles will be distributed at the walk/run, which is Yohan Blake’s official sponsor. Refreshments will be provided by Winn-Dixie and Corner Bakery.

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