Boca hospital donors Debbie Lindstrom and Bob Sheetz. Photo provided
Boca Helping Hands, in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University and Cereal4All, commemorated September’s Hunger Action Month by having a Tackle Hunger Cereal Drive during an Owls football game.
Participants donated 373 boxes of cereal, equating to 3,720 bowls and 394 pounds of food. People who donated one or more unopened cereal boxes got into the game for free, with all donations going to Boca Helping Hands.
“We were so pleased that so many people came out from the community to donate cereal,” said Greg Hazle, executive director of Boca Helping Hands. “Cereal is one of the least-donated items to food banks across the country, which means underserved kids and families do not always get to start their day with a nutritious breakfast.”
Cereal4All was started by twin brothers Jett and Luke Justin, of Boca Raton, now 14 years old.
After volunteering at Boca Helping Hands, Jett and Luke organized a cereal drive at their school when they were 8 years old. The boys since have expanded the program to more than 15 schools in the area.
For more information, call 561-417-0913 or visit www.bocahelpinghands.org/tacklehunger.
Boca Regional campaign closes in on $240 million
Bob Sheetz and Debbie Lindstrom have made another joint gift to Keeping the Promise — The Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital.
Sheetz’s and Lindstrom’s generosity coincides with the $250 million campaign’s final stages and allows them to join an elite group of donors called the Golden Guild. The donation, amount undisclosed, brought the campaign total to more than $237 million.
“The expansion and modernization of the Boca Regional campus is extremely important to the future of health care in this community,” hospital CEO Lincoln Mendez said. “However, this vital initiative would not be possible without the philanthropic support of members of the community like Bob Sheetz and Debbie Lindstrom.”
Sheetz and Lindstrom are longtime supporters of the hospital and were inspired by the campus transformation. The reception area in the patient tower and new food hall will be named in their honor.
“Our goal is what everyone’s goal should be: to ensure that all of us — including our family members, friends and community residents — have access to the best medical attention available,” Lindstrom said.
For more information, call the hospital foundation at 561-955-4142 or visit https://donate.brrh.com.
Ferrara estate donates $2.5M to cancer institute
The estate of Frances Ferrara has made a $2.5 million gift to Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Eugene M. and Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute.
The legacy will be used to support the needs of the institute as well as the programs at the Thomas E. Oxley Center for Cancer Survivorship & Wellness.
Ferrara was a strong supporter of the hospital and, after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2015, became a patient.
“Fran was a fixture at our Go Pink luncheons and annual balls,” said Mark Larkin, president of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation. “Any time you would see her at one of our events, she always had a smile on her face. Her positivity was absolutely contagious. She was a treasure to our donor family.”
Nonprofits First awards give tip of hat to winners
Nonprofits First had its sixth annual Hats Off Nonprofit Awards, a sold-out event celebrating Palm Beach County charities last month at the Kravis Center.
The crowd of 650 donned hats of all shapes and sizes, from cowboy to hard hats and from top hats to homemade.
The honorees for Nonprofit of the Year are the Arc of Palm Beach County, Friends of Foster Children, and Youth Empowered to Prosper.
Nonprofit Volunteer of the Year is Lorraine Petrozza, of Community Partners of South Florida. Nonprofit MVP is Jackie Struller, of Restoration Bridge International. Nonprofit Professional of the Year is Trudy Crowetz, of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. Nonprofit Executive of the Year is Julia Dattolo, of CareerSource Palm Beach County.
Other awards are: Lifetime Achievement, Diana Stanley, of the Lord’s Place; Community Collaborators Award, CROS Ministries, the Delray Beach Police Community Outreach Team and the Interfaith Committee for Social Services; Nonprofit Innovation Award, Morningday Community Solutions; Best Hat Award, Holy Ground homeless shelter; People’s Choice, Hanley Foundation,
Funds raised from the evening benefit Nonprofits First’s educational programs that focus on helping nonprofit employees and volunteers lead and succeed.
For more information, call 561-214-7435 or visit www.nonprofitsfirst.
Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net.
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