News
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Why We Serve
What is Food Insecurity?
Food insecurity is a problem that affects at least 12 million American children and their families. The effects are wide-ranging and serious, but as a community we can work to fight food insecurity.Feeding America defines food insecurity as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. This can be a temporary situation for a household or can last a long time”. This definition is important because it helps us understand the scope and severity of this issue.Food Insecurity in America.
A study done by Feeding America found that in “all 50 states and Washington, D.C., the estimated rate of child food insecurity is higher than the rate of overall food insecurity”. What about in our community? In 2018 the Child Food Insecurity rate in Okaloosa county was 18%. During the same year In Walton county the Child Food Insecurity rate was 22%.
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Why We Serve
How does Food Insecurity impact a child?Here are some of long term impacts of hunger.- Decreased academic achievement
- Increased likelihood of developing chronic illness
- Higher rates of depression and anxiety
- Lower self-esteem
Our programs work to bridge the meal gap in the lives of the children we serve to empower students to get the most our of their education.
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Emeril Lagasse Foundation Grant
Food For Thought Outreach is thankful for the generous support provided to our programs from the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation has announced the distribution of $1 Million to nonprofit organizations as part of its annual spring grant allocation. Through the Foundation’s Grants program, twelve beneficiaries received funding to support programs that align with its mission. Funding comes from donations and the Emeril Lagasse Foundation spring fundraising events, Line, Vine & Dine and the Chi Chi Miguel Weekend.
Six organizations were awarded community grants based on the shared mission to support youth through culinary, nutrition, and arts education, focusing on life skills development. Those organizations include Café Hope, Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, The Ingram Lee Foundation, Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation, New Orleans Culinary Hospitality Institute, and Second Harvest Food Bank.
The foundation also awarded grants following its two spring fundraising events. The annual Line Vine & Dine Charity Fishing Tournament in Fort Lauderdale supported local organizations Arc Broward and Dan Marino Foundation providing culinary and hospitality training to young people with developmental disabilities. Both organizations have been beneficiaries of the event since 2017. The Chi Chi Miguel Throwdown in Santa Rosa Beach supported various youth programs at Alaqua Animal Refuge, Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center, Food for Thought, and Sinfonia Gulf Coast.
"We have been very blessed this year with so much generosity from our donors," said Chef Emeril Lagasse. "I'm humbled to announce these grants and contributions to organizations that align with our mission. Each one is doing good things for our young people and will leave a legacy for the future."
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The 6th Annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival
We are looking forward to working with our friends from Destin Charity Wine Auction in support of their 6th Annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival.Tickets go on sale July 14th. Harvest Wine and Food Festival will provide patrons the opportunity to sip and savor some of the world's finest wine and culinary selections while enjoying the beautiful beach town of WaterColor. All proceeds from the festival go to benefit children in need in Northwest Florida, and Food For Thought is a proud beneficiary of this event. Visit https://www.dcwaf.org/harvest-festival/ for more information. -
Full Circle Kitchen
The Full Circle Kitchen Summer Classes are in full swing.
This summer we are honored to work with the following organizations
Children in Crisis, AMI Kids , The Youth Village, Okaloosa Youth Academy and Chautauqa Healthcare.Special Thanks to The Emeril Lagasse Foundation for supporting this program!
