News
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3rd Annual Bourbon & BBQ on the Bayou
3rd Annual Bourbon & BBQ on the Bayou
Benefitting Food For Thought Outreach
On Saturday, March 29th, over 100 guests gathered at the waterfront home of Carli and Jack Harman to celebrate the 3rd Annual Bourbon & BBQ on the Bayou. The Harmans are longtime supporters of Food For Thought Outreach and host this event to raise awareness and support for their programs, which assist food-insecure children in Walton and Okaloosa Counties
This year, our goal was to raise funds to help the organization purchase a new van for food deliveries. Over the past year and a half, we had to retire three of our vans, which significantly reduced our delivery capacity. By the end of the evening, we had raised over $60,000, allowing the organization to secure not just one, but two new vans!
Additional funds were raised through a silent auction, a bourbon ring toss, and direct giving. Overall, the evening raised more than $83,000 for Food For Thought Outreach.
Guests enjoyed delicious food prepared by the talented team at Marrow Private Chefs, while bourbon was generously donated by Fly High Spirits. Tipsy Mule created craft cocktails, and Ace’s Band got guests on the dance floor, providing a lively end to an incredible event.
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Billabong Destin Launch Event
Billabong Destin Launch Event, Supporting Food For Thought Outreach.
Billabong at Grand Boulevard to Host Launch Party Celebrating New Local Ownership
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. (March 28, 2025) – Billabong, located in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®, will host a Local Launch party on Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. in honor of their new look and new ownership.
Billabong has been in Grand Boulevard since 2008, and new owner, Tony Crisafi, is looking to the future, reinvigorating the location and reimagining it in a way that brings new energy and new clientele to the area.
“We saw the potential to create a destination that speaks to both locals and visitors, offering high-quality products, a strong sense of community, and an atmosphere that feels both aspirational and approachable,” emphasized Crisafi.
Crisafi has a long history in the retail industry. After serving in the Air Force, Crisafi started his own jewelry business, Destin Jewelry, in 2012 followed by two additional brands, Harbor Shell and Aloha Surf Company located in HarborWalk Village. Each offers unique products and brands that can’t be found in other stores in the area. Crisafi’s passion for creating unique shopping experiences that bring community and culture together led to his acquisition of the Billabong store at Grand Boulevard.
“Throughout the years we’ve developed a keen eye for selecting high-quality, trend-forward brands that resonate with customers,” said Crisafi. “This store represents a natural evolution—melding our experience with a fresh, modern take on the surf lifestyle.”
Billabong at Grand Boulevard carries a curated selection of brands reflecting an authentic coastal lifestyle, blending surf culture with elevated fashion and function. Their lineup of brands includes Beach Riot, Costa, Distant Local, Havaianas, I-Sea, Maaji, Maui Jim, MINKPINK, O'Neill, Qualified Captain, Pura Vida, Rainbow Sandals, Reef, Rhythm, Rip Curl, Roark, Roxy, Rusty, RVCA, Seager, Sun Bum, Tiare Hawaii, and Vuori. They also carry local brand, Salty Scents, in store.
Under Crisafi’s ownership, customers can expect an elevated shopping experience that blends the relaxed energy of surf culture with a more refined aesthetic. The Grand Boulevard location will also bring up to 12 jobs to the local community.
From 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., guests are invited to the store for the Local Launch Party featuring light bites from Black Bear Bread Company, Cantina Laredo, and Kilwins. There will be sips of wine from Vin’tij Food + Wine for shoppers to enjoy while perusing the latest Spring arrivals. Beats by DJ TK will also keep the party going all day long
For a $20 donation, guests will have the opportunity throughout the day to enter to win a Grand Prize Raffle including a Billabong shopping spree, surf board, Krewe sunglasses, Stallworth gift card, Kendra Scott necklace, tickets to South Walton Beach Wine & Food Festival, gift card to La Luna Children’s Boutique, and much more valued at over $2,500. All proceeds raised will benefit Food for Thought Outreach, a local 501(c)3 organization that works to bridge the meal gap in the lives of food insecure children in Walton and Okaloosa counties and empower them to get the most out of their education. Currently, over 3,600 children are enrolled in their year-round programs and all funds raised from the event will go towards those programs and help even more kids throughout the year. The winner will be chosen at random on Billabong’s Instagram page on Monday, April 1To commemorate the store’s new ownership, Billabong will also host an official ribbon cutting ceremony with the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, April 10 at 4 p.m. The community is invited to attend the celebration.
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Throwdown 2025 with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation
Emeril Lagasse Foundation and Food For Thought.
For the past ten years, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation has been a valuable partner in our programs. The foundation provides essential support for the initiatives offered in the Full Circle Kitchen, as well as for our backpack program. A significant portion of these funds is raised during their Annual Throwdown Weekend.
#YouCanHelp
Join us this year April 3rd-5th.
TICKETS
https://emeril.ejoinme.org/Throwdown2025
Sponsorship Opportunities
ABOUT THE EVENT
Throwdown Weekend 2025 is the Emeril Lagasse Foundation's annual fundraising weekend in Walton County, Florida and has been a pillar in supporting the local community.
This year’s event weekend will take place April 3 – 5, 2025 and features three days of stellar food, wine, and philanthropy.
What started as a backyard BBQ has now expanded into one of the foundation’s annual fundraising events.
The event weekend includes:
- Thursday Evening Wine Dinner at Emeril’s Coastal
- Friday Golf / Pickleball Tournaments at Burnt Pine Golf Club
- Saturday Throwdown featuring Live & Silent Auctions
- BBQ competition between celebrity guest chefs accompanied by celebrated winemakers from around the world.
Guests will cast their vote for their favorite:
- Ribs
- Side
- Showmanship (This year’s theme is Super Heroes)
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Champions For Kids
Jack & Carli Harman: Champions For Kids
The Harmans aimed to create "Champions" for the children who rely on the critical resources provided by Food For Thought Outreach. As a long-time partner in our mission, Carli shared her experiences volunteering in the schools served by Food For Thought Outreach. She recounted a touching moment when a young boy approached her during a Friday morning delivery. The boy expressed how much the bags of food that Carli had with her helped him. He made sure that she knew where his classroom was located so she didn't forget to drop one off for him. Carli was deeply moved by this encounter, and she wanted to become a "Champion" for the boy and all the kids like him who sincerely depend on the services provided by Food For Thought. To achieve this, in partnership with the organization, the ABC campaign was introduced in March of 2024. "Annual Backpack Champions," which provides donors with an opportunity to become a recurring annual donor for the backpack program.
Since March of 2024, this program has raised $16,800!
For more about the program, here is a video link
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Volunteer Coordinator
Food For Thought Outreach is now accepting resumes for a well-qualified Volunteer Coordinator.
Qualified Candidates will already live in our service area of Walton or Okaloosa Counties and can submit their resume and cover letter via email: info@fftflo.rg
SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES:- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Willingness to speak to groups of 4-25 people about the organization
- Training and Scheduling Experience
- Capacity to lead a diverse group of volunteers
- Google Suites or Microsoft Experience
- Highly adaptable
- Strong critical thinking skills
- Advocacy skills
- Capacity to learn new software programs
- Engagement with social media, outreach applications, and external communications
- Commitment to operational excellence
- Enjoy working with a team striving for excellence
Full Job Description Here:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0661/9927/files/Volunteer_Coordinator_Role.pdf?v=1733776006