• #YouCanHelp Food Drive

    Thanks to the community for your involvement and our local preschools who helped kick off our Destin Food Drive for the month of February.  We are excited to report that our food drive collected enough food items and donations to feed over 1,150 kids in March!!  Our efforts to increase awareness in Okaloosa county continue to thrive.  We need the continued mindfulness and support as we add three Okaloosa County schools and approximately 500 hungry students for the 2017-18 school year.  The Food For Thought Pantries accept donations at both locations Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9am-4pm.  Thank you again to our local Preschools, Blaze 103.1 and KC's Sandbar, Whole Foods, and to the community in its entirety for recognizing this need.  Click HERE for donation information.

    Posted by Tracey Behr
  • Tickets On Sale For 4th Annual Art of Giving Benefit

    August 16, 2016

    Santa Rosa Beach, FL

    By: Jessica Roberts

     

    TICKETS ON SALE FOR 4TH ANNUAL ART OF GIVING BENEFIT

    Kids Edition: Local Charity Highlights Young Artists

    Tickets are on sale for Food For Thought Outreach’s 4th Annual Art of Giving presented by Porath & Associates to be held on Thursday, September 15th at 6:30pm at Churchill Oaks on the Choctawhatchee Bay. Lite bites will be provided by Brotula’s Seafood House and Steamer.

    In previous years, the annual art auction has raised over $180,000 and featured local artists such as Justin Gaffrey, Allison Wickey, Justin Lyons, Chandler Williams, Matt Lyons, Marisol Gullo, and Velia Lala. This year the local nonprofit is switching it up and turning the event over to the kids for the Art of Giving - Kids Art Edition! Local schools have partnered with local artists and this year, the students will be auctioning off their pieces to help raise funds to fight child hunger!

    Ohana Institute will be working with the Institute’s Director of Events, Julie Martin, as their Artist Partner as well as returning Art of Giving Artist, Allison Wickey. Cecilia Yglesias Haught has partnered with Noah’s Ark Preschool, Mya Schilder will be guiding the Northwest Florida Ballet, and Gulf Place Artist, Billie Gaffrey has partnered with the Seaside Neighborhood School. The students’ pieces along with their Artist Partners will be part of a silent auction alongside many other exciting packages and exclusive local items!

    “We really wanted to bring the focus back to the kids. This is why we’re all here - to help fight child hunger, to fight food insecurity, and give our local students the best chance to succeed.,” says Tiffanie Nelson, Founder and Executive Director of Food For Thought Outreach. “We’re excited to be back at Churchill Oaks and we are excited to feature these young artists. Support from community partners like Churchill Oaks is so amazing - they’ve already committed to hosting next year’s event as well!”

    In their sixth year, local charity Food For Thought Outreach has gone from serving 6 children at one school to over 1,500 children a week across 18 elementary, middle, and high schools in Okaloosa and Walton counties during the 2016-2017 school year and recently served record numbers of families through their summer outreach programs. Food For Thought Outreach provides backpacks filled with healthy, easy to prepare food for students who are dependent on free or reduced school meals to help bridge the gap between school meals during weekends.

    To reserve your tickets online, please visit fftfl.org/products/art-of-giving-ticket

    For more information, please email kevin@poortruman.com or visit www.fftfl.org

     

    About Food For Thought Outreach

    Food For Thought is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in Santa Rosa Beach, FL that provides backpacks filled with healthy, easy to prepare food for students who are dependent on free or reduced school meals. Our goal is to support a child’s development and educational experience by bridging the gap between school meals during weekends and holiday breaks. Food For Thought has been working to fight child hunger since 2010, and currently serves 20 schools in Walton and Okaloosa Counties, providing backpacks for 1,500 students each week. For more information, such as donation locations, pantry items needed, and opportunities to volunteer, please email info@fftfl.org.

    About Churchill Oaks

    Nestled on 40 acres in the bend of Churchill Bayou and Hogtown Bayou in the Choctawhatchee Bay, you’ll find Churchill Oaks, a new residential community designed to embrace all the beauty that nature has to offer. With over half a mile of common area access to South Walton’s ultimate playground, the Choctawhatchee Bay, Churchill Oaks offers a lifestyle like no other. All homesites feature amazing water views and are large enough to accommodate courtyards, outdoor kitchens, and gardens so each home connects with its natural setting. An environment well suited for the community’s Colonial and Low-Country architecture that accentuates the style and grandeur of the south. Churchill Oaks is thoughtfully designed around Southern magnolias, live oaks, and long-leaf pines, leaving 46% of the property untouched, timeless, and awe-inspiring.

    Posted by Sarah Schmidt