19th Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT™ to offer First Coast's biggest party while helping 'Take a bite out of hunger'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Ready. Set. FOODFIGHT!
 
Fine food and spirits will abound - along with a festive battle for best culinary presentation - on Thursday, June 4, when the 19th 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 nearly $1 million to help fight hunger in Jacksonville over the last 18 years and hopes to raise at least $85,000 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 percent 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 for general admission and $75 for VIP access, both of which include tastes of delightful dishes prepared by the top restaurant chefs in the city, along with numerous beverages and live entertainment. The VIP admission entitles partygoers to a private VIP reception with special food and drinks from 6-6:30 p.m. in a private seating area that is available throughout the event.
 
In addition, a silent auction will be held, along with a raffle that awards prizes such as a Jacksonville Jaguars Gameday Experience package, 12 facial acupuncture treatments from Dr. Kelly Huber, an eight-bottle in-home wine tasting from PRP Wine, a Kingsford 22.5-inch kettle grill, 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.
 
Second Harvest has already provided 1.97 million meals through four months in 2009 - 297,000 more meals than at this time a year ago. Demand for resources from the Food Bank increased by more than 32 percent in 2008, and that increase has not slowed this year, according to Second Harvest President and CEO Wayne Rieley.
 
Food distribution at Second Harvest has steadily risen in recent years, from 6.62 million pounds in 2007, to 7.65 million in 2008 and a projected 8.9 million pounds in 2009.
 
For every $1 donated, Second Harvest is able to distribute 3.5 pounds of food to its more than 520 member agencies. If the FOODFIGHT achieves its goal of $85,000 it will allow the Food Bank to supply 297,500 pounds of food for its clients - which translates to nearly 200,000 meals!
 
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.

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 to fill gaps in services offered in the community for people in need. The Food Bank gathers food from local and national sources, shares these resources with 520 nonprofit organizations in 18 north Florida counties and helps thousands of people each year who are hungry or at risk of not having being able to provide food for themselves and their families. In addition to collecting and distributing food, the Food Bank serves children in after-school programs through its Kids Cafe and in summer camps through its Summer Lunch program. It also takes Mobile Pantries filled with Family Boxes of food to people living in neighborhoods with the greatest needs and sends food home with schoolchildren for weekends and school breaks through the BackPack Program. Call 904.730.8234 for more information about any of these programs and services.