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JOIN THE FEINSTEIN CHALLENGE!

For the 9th straight year, philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein will divide $ 1 million among hunger fighting agencies like The Cooperative Feeding Program nationwide. Any cash or food donation made to The Cooperative Feeding Program from March 1st to April 30th, 2006 will be proportionately matched by the Feinstein Foundation www.FeinsteinFoundation.com Depending on how much support for food programs is raised nationally, the foundation distributes the matching funds in a pro-rated fashion. Each can of food is valued at one dollar.

So, during March and April, PLEASE plan to hold a food drive in your condo or neighborhood, in your office, church or synagogue. This is a wonderful event for youth groups too! Just one individual can do so much. Collectively, we can then translate all your individual kindness and donations into cash that will feed even more people!

If you need help with ideas or "how to" conduct a successful food drive or fundraiser, please call us at (954) 792-2328 and we'll gladly share our experiences with you.

SUN SENTINEL GRANTS RAYS OF HOPE

The Sun-Sentinel Children's Fund Hurricane Relief Campaign, a fund of the McCormack Tribune Foundation, made a generous grant to The Cooperative Feeding Program in February. $ 60,000 was awarded for housing repair, renovation and relocation services to individuals and families displaced by hurricane Wilma. A further $ 25,000 grant was gratefully received from the Hurricane Katrina Relief Campaign, a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, for basic and long-term services for hurricane Katrina evacuee families.

SOUTH FLORIDA'S YOUTH RESPOND WITH CARING

Shocked after the January beatings of homeless men by Broward County youth, student leaders from several schools through the area responded with acts of love and kindness. Piper High School students from Sunrise and Cypress Bay High School students both collected a pick-up load of food for those served by The Cooperative Feeding Program.

The David Posnak Hebrew Day School collected clothing for the homeless. Mitzvah Day at Temple Beth Torah in Tamarac brought young volunteers to The Cooperative Feeding Program to prepare emergency food boxes for hungry families.

While just three young people grabbed the public spotlight for senseless acts of violence, hundreds of young people in Broward County silently completed random acts of kindness because it was simply the right thing to do. THANK YOU ALL!

SAFETY MEASURES URGED FOR THE HOMELESS

Michael Stoops, acting Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless was in Ft. Lauderdale on February 9th to release the 2005 Report on Hate Crimes/Violence against Homeless People in the US. Appearing with The Cooperative Feeding Program's Marti Forman and other society leaders, the new report illustrated a disproportionate number of incidents of violence against the homeless in Florida as compared to the rest of the United States.

For a complete copy of the report, please visit www.nationalhomeless.org

NIGHT AT THE RACES, POMPANO BEACH

The 4th Annual "Night at the Races" at Pompano Park will take place this year on Monday, March 27th at 6pm. Come and have a delicious three course dinner and enjoy the horse racing and company! Your $ 35 donation will bring you dinner, free parking and a program plus a good feeling of knowing you are helping those in need. For tickets and reservations, please contact Malka at (954) 792-2328 or Malka@FeedingBroward.org Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will generously match all donations to this event.

MARTI FORMAN CELEBRATES ANOTHER BIRTHDAY!

In what has become an annual event of denial, Marti Forman, CEO of The Cooperative Feeding Program, is celebrating yet another birthday. Rather than flowers or presents, please send your kind thoughts and a gift in her honor to celebrate and support her mission of helping others:

http://www.firstgiving.com/MartiFormansBirthdayCelebration

MASTER ORGANISTS OF SOUTH FLORIDA BENEFIT CONCERT FORT THE CFP

March 19, 2006, 7:00pm. First Congregational Church of Fort Lauderdale, UCC,
2501 NE 30th Street, Ft. Lauderdale. 954-873-4647

Four of South Florida's Master Organists will perform a variety of classic works at this benefit concert, sponsored by the Interfaith Coalition to Eliminate Hunger. Featured organists will be: Rodney Giles, Mark Jones, Matthew Steynor, and Jeffri Bantz, playing the music of Vierne, Bach, Saint-Seans, Barber, and more.

Tickets are $10 in advance, and $15 at the door. For advance tickets, please mail checks (made out to "The Cooperative Feeding Program") to the First Congregational Church at the above address. Tickets will be held at the door or mailed at your request.

A reception will follow the evening's performance allowing for time to meet the musicians. All proceeds of the evening will go to the Cooperative Feeding Program.

The Congregational Church is located one block south of Oakland Park Blvd, on Middle River Drive, across from the entrance to the Coral Ridge Mall.

ANDY'S GASTRONOMICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Andy Cagnetta reached beyond expectations in terms of both cuisine and cash by raising more than $ 6,000 for The Cooperative Feeding Program through his delicious February 11th fundraising dinner. Andy is both a valued Cooperative Feeding Program Board member and a dynamic corporate leader as CEO of Transworld Business Brokers, LLC www.tworld.com A special thanks to the South Florida Sinus and Allergy Center 877-SINUS-MD who generously sponsored this dining delicacy!

2,000 BROWARD COUNTY GIRL SCOUTS TO GAIN 30,000 LBS

Broward County Girl Scouts have set a 30,000lb goal for their 3rd annual food drive to benefit The Cooperative Feeding Program and other members of the Coordinating Council of Broward's Million Meals Committee.

The estimated 2,000 Girl Scouts in Broward County will collect the food on Sunday, March 11th between 9am and 12 noon at the Bank Atlantic Center. Anyone donating food will receive two complimentary tickets to that evening's game of the Florida Panthers against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The food drive honors the Girl Scout's 94th national birthday. For more information on how you can help, please contact Nicole Vaughn at (954) 739-7660 ext. 243.

STOP HATE ZONE

A new project is being developed by The Cooperative Feeding Program and other community leaders to respond to the hatred and abuse directed towards the homeless. STOP HATE ZONE! is an educational series directed first at our youth, then faith-based organizations, then at our community leaders, then the business community. The sole purpose will be to educate. We will start by making people aware that the beating and killing of the homeless is a common "sport" in this country. Then, as a community, we will target the causes of violence and design a curriculum around those key components and strategies for spreading the information to all schools and places of worship.

If YOU would like to participate in or finance this exciting opportunity for positive change, please contact Marti Forman at mart4man@aol.com

April 23-29th, 2006 is "National Volunteer Week" Are you ready to participate? Contact Laura@FeedingBroward.org to see how YOU can help make a difference by volunteering!

Join The Cooperative Feeding Program Team!

There are several employment positions available in The Cooperative Feeding Program for mission-driven team players, both in administration and entry level. Please contact Mart4man@aol.com for more information.