Calling all Foodies: Support Food Justice In Miami And Enjoy A Night Of Ping Pong & Free Drinks

March 30, 2012 - PRLog -- MIAMI-March 30, 2012¬ Want to network with other young like-minded foodies, environmentalists & activists in Miami? Come support Youth L.E.A.D.'s Fundraiser at Chalk Miami, and ping pong the night away, while supporting a great cause.

All proceeds go to benefit Youth LEAD Miami, an emerging food justice organization that educates and employs youth from low-income neighborhoods as apprentices to urban farmers and farmers’ market managers.

The event¸ which requires a minimum $20 donation, will feature free cocktails from 10 pm-11 pm and free ping pong from 11 pm-12 am at CHALK (1234 Washington Ave, Miami Beach). You can purchase tickets here: http://youthleadfundraiser.eventbrite.com/.

In addition to cocktails and ping pong, Gift Certificates to local spas and restaurants will be raffled off, Youth L.E.A.D.’s Resource & Recipe Book, full of kid-friendly healthy recipes that highlight locally-grown foods, will be available for $20.

Youth L.E.A.D. CEO, Erin Healy, stressed the importance of these fundraisers in providing needed financial support for Youth L.E.A.D’s programming.

“Youth L.E.A.D. addresses the root causes of childhood obesity and environmental destruction: access to healthy foods, food policy, and knowledge of the threats posed by the industrial food system. This fundraiser is extremely important to provide Youth L.E.A.D. the support needed to continue its afterschool training and food policy efforts past the summer.”

Youth L.E.A.D., a fund of the Miami Foundation, was started by Healy in 2009. YL works in Little Haiti, Liberty City, Opa Locka and Overtown, to empower underserved youth through a 12-week training and a 4-month paid apprenticeship at farmers’ markets and community gardens in their neighborhoods.

Since 2009 over 100 youth have completed our full training, over 25 youth have completed the paid apprenticeship program, and thousands of residents have been reached through our outreach and community-based research.

Learn more about Youth L.E.A.D.’s Annual Fundraiser, their apprentices and work in the community by visiting the website at: http://www.youthleadmiami.org or following us on Twitter at,  http://twitter.com/#!/youthleadmiami,  and Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/youthleadmiami,  for important event updates. You may also join the newsletter list, at http://www.facebook.com/youthleadmiami/app_141428856257.

See the list below, for information on the different Farmers’ Markets that Youth L.E.A.D. helps to coordinate food demos, and where they place graduates of the program in part-time paid apprenticeships:


Miami Dade County Farmers’ Markets

Liberty City / Brownsville:
•   Jesse Trice Community Health Center, 5361 NW 22nd Ave, managed by Urban Oasis Project**
•   TACOLCY Park, 6161 NW 9th Avenue, managed by Urban Greenworks
Upper East Side / Lemon City:
•   79th & Biscayne Blvd parking lot, managed by Urban Oasis Project**
Overtown:
•   Corner of NW 3rd Ave & 16th Street, managed by Roots in the City
Coconut Grove:
•   Grand Ave & Douglas Road, managed by Roots in the City
South Miami:
•   South Miami City Hall, 6130 Sunset Drive, managed by Earth Learning
Homestead:
•   Verde Gardens, 12690 SW 280th Street, managed by Urban Oasis Project and Earth Learning

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Youth LEAD Miami, an emerging food justice organization that educates underserved youth about health and nutrition and then provides them with part-time jobs at farmers’ markets and urban gardens.