November 9, 2011

A Magical Future for Hunger Relief in Central Florida

Author: Greg Higgerson

It was a morning of great celebration at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.  In a very special ceremony outside our loading dock, one of our longest-serving and best corporate partners came by for a look back at our history together, and also brought the Food Bank one step closer to realizing its future vision for the community – by announcing a $500,000 gift and pledging to give us 20,000 pounds of fresh produce during the next year.

For twenty years, Walt Disney World has reached out to help Central Floridians in need through support of the Food Bank’s mission.  The company is one of very few that literally  helps the Food Bank in every manner possible—through incredible food donations, through financial support, and through volunteerism. Disney’s deep and enduring support of hunger relief has directly touched hundreds of thousands of lives in our community over the past two decades. 

Children, seniors, working poor families, homeless, and others have received the vital food assistance they needed because of this generosity.  To help keep that nutritious help going, this morning we learned of a new commitment from Disney to provide an additional 20,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables over and above the normal prepared and perishable food donations received daily through their Disney Harvest program. These products are the very food items that low income families cannot afford on their own, and represent added health and vitality for all who will receive them. Read More …

November 1, 2011

Help unwrap hope this holiday season …

Author: Sasha Hausman

No matter what you celebrate, I think we can all agree that the holiday season is a special time. It’s a time when we let the people closest to us know how much they mean to us. Whether it is a family member exchanging a gift, or getting a chocolate shaped snowman from a co-worker … it is hard not to appreciate this special season.

Unfortunately not all of us think of the holidays as the most wonderful time of the year. 1 in 5 of our neighbors here in Central Florida might not know where their next meal is coming from. But luckily there is an easy way to help that might save you a couple steps during your holiday shopping.

For a gift of only $5 (or more if you wish) per card, we will share your holiday greetings with friends, family, and colleagues, letting them know that you have made a donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida on their behalf. The card will be personalized with your name or company inside and then mailed out from our office for your convenience. Read More …

May 5, 2011

Second Harvest Receives a visit from Disney’s “Shine On” Prize Patrol

Author: Maria Diestro

On Tuesday, April 19th Second Harvest Food Bank had a very special guest visit our facility. Rumors of two big ears and white gloves spotted in our board room circulated our office emails that morning. By 10 am, everyone at Second Harvest had caught a glimpse of Mickey Mouse walking down our hallways.

As part of a 40-day celebration across Central Florida, Disney is shining a spotlight on organizations that improve the lives of children in our community. Mickey made a surprise visit to Second Harvest to recognize and reward our efforts in the work we do to combat childhood hunger. We were lucky to share the stage with Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, New Beginnings and the Hope Foundation. All four organizations received a special gift totaling $120,000.

 Second Harvest received $50,000 from Disney’s Helping Kids Shine Grant! We are so grateful to be one of the beneficiaries of Disney’s generosity. With Disney’s support, we are going to be able to provide hundreds of thousands of meals to kids in need. Read More …

April 6, 2011

Fashion Show In The Making: Wine, Women & Shoes and Local Businesses Unite

Author: Maria Diestro

Aycha Williams is Fashion Chair of Second Harvest’s Wine Women & Shoes Orlando event. We asked her to get with her committee and to write about the experience they have had putting together the fashion show for this exciting event. Wine Women & Shoes will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2011 at the Royal Plaza Hotel.

As volunteers for Second Harvest Food Bank’s Wine, Women & Shoes event, the fashion show committee has been working non-stop for a fabulous Fashion Show! We have been received so well by the community’s local businesses and by Orlando’s fashion industry.  Everyone we talked to was more than willing and excited to contribute and support the cause.

First step for the fashion show was to decide on our fashion partners. We partnered mostly with Orlando’s local businesses for the looks for the fashion show. This way; while helping Second Harvest’s cause of putting an end to hunger in Central Florida we were also able to support the local businesses.

Tammy Giaimo, owner of Jacobson’s at Park Avenue and Aimee Collins-Hitchner owner of Ginger Boutique at Winter Park Village agreed to partner with us for the fashion show. We were also approached by Melanie Sweetland with White House & Black Market Store at Altamonte Mall and were very excited to include them as a part of the event. The fashion show will have this summer’s must have looks as well as a peek into the fall closet of brands such as Escada. So get ready to enjoy an amazing fashion show while tasting some delicious wine from Florida and California’s select wineries.

Next; we started looking for models and once again we were very pleasantly surprised by the interest and support to help.

We walked in to the Maile Image, Modeling and Acting School of Winter Park and received a very warm welcome from Debby Tapia, the Vice President. She put in a request for our criteria and we received some great resumes and headshots to review. The Maile Modeling and Acting School has been working with students and training talent since 1982. The school offers classes in Image & Confidence Development, On Camera Acting, Professional Modeling for children, teens and adults. Some successful graduate Maile School models and actors are Mandy Moore, Vincent Martell on Everybody Hates Chris and as the voice of Phineaus on the popular Disney show Phineaus and Ferb,  and Paul Amadi in hot movie The Blind Side and 2 Miss Americas.

In addition; our own friends, beautiful women with style; business professionals, stay at home mothers all offered to help support our cause. Follow our blog to learn more about our models; we will have more posts about them and their passion to help in the coming days.

A great fashion show comes with great music! Our music will be mixed by DJ Clinton. If you like to dance and have been to Park Avenue club venues for late night dancing then you must know Clinton. He will be the DJ for the complete event and the fashion show.

We also could not have done without: LMG Inc. of Orlando; they have graciously donated the free rental of projectors and lighting, Quest Drapery has provided discounts on the purchase of drapery for the show and finally Video Equipment Rentals-VER, Inc. has donated the free rental of the complete sound system.

Like we said at the beginning; we are more than ready for a fabulous fashion show at Second Harvest’s Wine, Women & Shoes event! Latest fashion trends, beautiful models to be accompanied by great music of today and the 80s… If you have not purchased your tickets yet; you can do so by visiting www.winewomenandshoes.com/second harvest

Check back for more news on the fashion show, our models and about their passion to help end hunger.

Aycha Williams
Fashion Chair
Wine, Women & Shoes

January 12, 2011

Tis the Season to Give

Author: Maria Diestro

We are so grateful to have so many wonderful organizations coordinate food drives for Second Harvest Food Bank during the holidays. We wanted to take a moment to highlight one of these groups. Central Florida Preparatory students spent a month giving back to various organizations in Central Florida. Below is a small write up and some photos from their month of charity.  

Central Florida Preparatory School Participates in a Month of Charity
 
When Mrs. Ramos asked students, “How can we help neighbors who are distressed with hardship this season?”  She received overwhelming response.  While students recognized a need for shelter, clothing, and monetary contributions, they all agreed that no one should go hungry.  From that class discussion, sprouted wide spread excitement about the opportunity to help the less fortunate in Central Florida.

The entire school, which houses students from Pre-Kindergarten thru High School, took part in a month of charity.  Hundreds of Central Florida Preparatory students participated in a “Tis the Season to Give” Food Drive, which collected nearly 1,000 pounds of food to benefit the many Central Florida Residents afflicted with hunger.  Further students expressed charity through Art, Language, Volunteerism and Self Expression. 

Pre-schoolers drew pictures about charity, while first graders participated in Macy’s “Letters to Santa” to benefit Make-a-Wish Foundation which grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. 

All food proceeds were donated to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.  Central Florida Preparatory School is a non-profit non-sectarian private school located in Orange County and in the Southwest Orlando area.  “Tis the Season to Give” Food Drive ran through December, 2010.