For Immediate Release
18th Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT®
to offer city's biggest party,
take a bite out of hunger on First Coast
45 top restaurants, caterers, beverage wholesalers
to square off in competition on Thursday, June 5
at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium Crown Royal Club
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 28, 2008) - Ready. Set. FOODFIGHT!
Fine food and spirits will abound - along with a festive battle for best culinary presentation - on Thursday, June 5, when the 18th Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT® takes place at the Crown Royal Touchdown Club East in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
This year's event will bring together more than 45 of the First Coast's finest restaurants, caterers and beverage wholesalers for a friendly competition where partygoers prove to be the biggest winners. The event has raised more than $800,000 to help fight hunger in Jacksonville over the last 17 years and hopes to raise at least $50,000 this year - with all proceeds benefiting the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida.
"Doing a good thing and having a good time is truly the theme of this great event," said Eddie Fink, chariman of the FOODFIGHT committee, which coordinates the event. "That goes for all who participate - vendors, volunteers and guests. The restaurants and beverage distributors do an incredible job knowing that 100% of the proceeds from the event go to the Second Harvest Food Bank to aid in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in our community.""
Tickets for the event are $50, which include tastes of delightful dishes prepared by the top restaurant chefs in the city, along with numerous beverages and live entertainment. In addition, a silent auction will be held during the event, along with a raffle that awards prizes such a 32-inch HDTV flat screen, a Jacksonville Jaguars Experience package, four one-day tickets to Walt Disney World, an iPod Nano, Chick-fil-A for a year and many others.
Fink said the event is the party of the year in Jacksonville - but most importantly it is a party for a great cause.
The Food Bank has already provided 1.8 million meals this year - 388,000 more meals than at this time a year ago. At this rate, the demand will require the agency to secure an additional 1.5 million pounds of food during the remainder of the year in order to meet the needs of people in the Jacksonville area.
For every $1 donated, Second Harvest is able to recover $53 worth of food for distribution to its 515 member agencies. If the FOODFIGHT achieves its goal of $60,000 it will allow the Food Bank to secure more than $3 million worth of food for its clients.
The Jacksonville FOODFIGHT® is one of the largest fundraisers of the year for the Second Harvest Food Bank.
To order tickets or purchase sponsorship packages, visit www.JacksonvilleFoodFight.org or call 904.739.7074. |
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| About Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida
Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida is the oldest and largest program of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida. LSS was founded in 1979 by area Lutherans and business leaders and continues to be led by LCMS and ELCA congregations today. The agency currently operates five programs: Second Harvest Food Bank, a member of America's Second Harvest food network; Refugee and Immigration Services, which resettles 90% of all refugees coming to Jacksonville through Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM); International Adoption, a member of Lutheran Adoption Network, a national collaboration of 30 Lutheran social ministry organizations that place thousands of children in caring adoptive homes, regardless of faith background, every year; AIDS Care and Education Program and Representative Payee Services. LSS also operates The Sharing Place Thrift Shop, 4615 Philips Highway, Tues.-Sat. Call 904.448.5995 for more information about any of these programs and services.
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| CONTACT:
Lutheran Social Services of NE Florida Tom Strother
Advancement Manager (Communications)
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18th Annual
Jacksonville FOODFIGHT®
WHAT: The 18th Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT®
WHEN: Thursday, June 5
(6-9 p.m.)
WHERE: Jacksonville Municipal Stadium Crown Royal Touchdown Club East
BENFITING: All proceeds from the event benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida, which serves 515 member agencies throughout an 18-county area in north Florida
TICKETS: $50
Order online at www.JACKSONVILLEFOODFIGHT.org or by calling 904.739.7074
2008 PARTICIPANTS:
Aqua Grille
BB's
Biscotti's
Bistro Aix
Café Nola at MOCA
Campeche Bay Cantina
Champion Brands
China Mist Tea Company
Crab Cake Factory
Dave and Busters
Etiquette of Chocolate
FCCJ Culinary Arts
Fionn MacCool's
GOS Wine & Spirits
Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille Hooters
Levy's Restaurants
Mai Oui Gourmet
Matthew's Restaurant
Matthew's Market & Catering
MacKenzie's Steak House
Mimi's Café
Mojo Kitchen
Morton's The Steakhouse
Old Siam
Panera Bread
Peterbrooke Chocolatier
Pom's Premier Beverage
Ragtime Tavern
Restaurant Medure
River City Brewing Company
Rollin' Rita's
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Salt, The Grill at Ritz-Carlton
Amelia Island
Seven Bridges
Southern Wine & Spirits
Starbucks
Sticky Fingers
Sun Dog Diner
The Cake Shop of San Jose
The Fish Company
The Grotto
The Melting Pot
The St. Augustine Grille
Sawgrass Marriott
Times Grill
Twisted Martini
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