Connect Savannah News & Notes
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Parker’s Kitchen donates $107,000 to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia in honor of Hunger Action Month
Parker’s Kitchen recently donated $107,000 through a round-up campaign to support America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, a nonprofit organization based in Savannah, Ga. that serves as the food safety net for tens of thousands of people who are at risk for hunger across a 21-county area.
In honor of Hunger Action Month in September, Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker presented a check to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia’s Executive Director Mary Jane Crouch at the nonprofit’s Family Food Pantry event at Memorial Stadium in Savannah, Ga. on Sept. 14. Parker’s Kitchen served as the presenting sponsor of the drive-through food distribution event, which donated more than 31,000 pounds of food to local residents experiencing food insecurity.
“America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia helps so many children, seniors and families who are experiencing food insecurity throughout our area,” Greg Parker explained before presenting a $107,000 donation to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia. “At Parker’s Kitchen, our goal is to reduce food insecurity in our area by providing two million meals for hungry children this year. This donation will put us one step closer to achieving this goal and will help America’s Second Harvest continue to make a positive impact throughout the region.”
The donation is part of a recent Parker’s Kitchen round-up campaign, which encouraged customers to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar. The company matched 25% of customer donations to maximize the campaign’s impact.
Since Parker’s Kitchen launched its inaugural round-up campaign in May 2022, the company has raised more than $650,000 to fight hunger in Georgia and South Carolina. All round-up proceeds are donated to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia and Lowcountry Food Bank in South Carolina.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Parker’s Kitchen for this generous donation and for their support,” said Mary Jane Crouch, Executive Director of America’s Second Harvest Food Bank. “Thanks to this donation from Parker’s Kitchen, we can distribute more than 500,000 meals through our existing programs, providing nutritious food to our most vulnerable populations.”
For more information about the Parker’s Round-up Campaign and the company’s commitment to charitable giving, visit parkerskitchen.com.
LOVEthirteen by Heather Wells jewelry show to feature new fall crystal collection
Plant Riverside District will feature acclaimed jewelry designer Heather Wells’ glamorous LOVEthirteen collection at a special jewelry show in the main lobby Sept. 22 - 23.
This exciting new Fall Crystal Collection will provide guests with an exclusive opportunity to shop for never-before-seen crystals as well as captivating statement pieces crafted from rare natural materials, including green opals, fossilized coral, blue labradorite, sunstone and silver hypersthene. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet the designer.
Wells crafts LOVEthirteen jewelry from hand-selected precious gems, semi-precious stones and crystals imbued with various energetic properties. Defined by “spiritual glamour,” each sparkling piece has been thoughtfully designed to empower wearers by connecting them to their inner strength and beauty, inspiring them to live their best lives.
“Each bead and pendant is intended to foster and inspire spiritual growth, while the chains serve as a playful reminder of life’s hard edges,” Wells explains. “The combined elements are a wearable reminder to live each day to its fullest and to never stop seeking your higher self.”
SAFE Shelter Center for Domestic Violence Services to host candlelight vigil in Forsyth Park
SAFE Shelter Center for Domestic Violence Services – the second largest shelter of its kind in the state of Georgia – will host a candlelight vigil in Forsyth Park by the fountain on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. to honor those who lost their lives to the vicious cycle of domestic violence in 2022. The event is just one of several planned by SAFE Shelter during October in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion or nationality. In the U.S., an average of 20 people are physically abused by intimate partners every minute, equating to 10 million abuse victims annually. In 2017, Georgia had the 10th highest rate in the U.S of women murdered by men.
In 2022, the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department responded to 4,107 domestic disturbance calls. That same year, SAFE Shelter provided services to 1,883 victims of domestic violence, including 496 children, and provided 65,000 meals for shelter residents and follow-up program participants.
Since 1979, SAFE Shelter has been Savannah’s only shelter dedicated to victims of intimate partner violence and their underage children. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Shelter provides safe, confidential services to all victims of domestic violence.
For more information or to donate, visit safeshelter.org.
Eric Fullem joins Plant Riverside District as Executive Chef
Plant Riverside District recently hired former Sea Island Company Executive Chef Eric Fullem as Executive Chef. At Plant Riverside District, Fullem oversees culinary operations at 14 acclaimed restaurants as well as banquet services for the award-winning JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District located on Savannah’s historic riverfront.
Fullem brings 19 years of culinary experience to Plant Riverside District and is a respected chef with extensive experience planning upscale wine dinners, fresh seasonal menus and working with global purveyors as well as local vendors. A strong leader with a passion for mentoring and team-building, he also excels at menu development as well as high-end food and beverage operations.
“Executive Chef Eric Fullem brings deep experience with luxury food and beverage operations to Plant Riverside District and is a proven team leader,” said Simon Pettigrew, Managing Director at the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District. “We’re thrilled to welcome Eric to the talented culinary team at Plant Riverside District and know that our guests will be extremely impressed by his creativity, skill and commitment to excellence.”
An accomplished executive chef with 12 years of experience in Forbes Five-Star kitchens, Fullem joins Plant Riverside District from the Sea Island Company, a AAA Five-Diamond resort on Sea Island, Ga., where he served as Executive Chef for the Lodge, Beach Club and Events. Earlier in his career, he served as executive chef at The Jayhawk Club, an award-winning country club in Lawrence, Kansas, and Chef de Cuisine at the Inn at Dos Brisas, a Forbes Five-Star inn in Washington, Tex.
Fullem graduated from The Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts in 2008 and earned Sous Vide Certification from the Culinary Research and Education Academy. Originally from Uniontown, Penn., he currently resides in Brunswick, Ga.
Location Gallery at Corcoran Austin Hill Realty to host Savannopoly art show fundraiser to benefit Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity
Location Gallery at Corcoran Austin Hill Realty will hold the 2023 Savannopoly Collection and gallery event, in support of Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity (CEHFH) on Friday, Oct. 13. The special art show fundraiser will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at Location Gallery, located at Corcoran Austin Hill Realty, 251 Bull St. Savannah, Georgia. A portion of profits will benefit Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity, in celebration of the nonprofit organization’s 40th anniversary serving the community.
Attendees will be able to view the entire collection and purchase pieces, while enjoying music, art, and refreshments provided by Service Brewing. More than 30 local artists are included in the collection, each highlighting their own interpretation of the local landscape. Art enthusiasts and collectors will have the opportunity to purchase unique and relevant artwork while supporting the CEHFH mission of building foundations for generations.
“We are so thankful to have Location Gallery as community partners and are beyond grateful for their continuous support of our mission and cause,” said Zerik Samples, CEO of Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity. “We remain dedicated to building lasting thriving communities around the Coastal Empire, and we couldn’t do it without partnerships and collaborations like this.”
Savannopoly is inspired by the classic board game Monopoly, but with properties located in the Savannah area. All work is done on panels that resemble the classic spaces of the game. A wide variety of mediums are displayed on these panels including painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media and more. The collection will feature over 30 artists and gives art enthusiasts and collectors the opportunity to purchase unique and relevant artwork, while supporting the CEHFH mission of building foundations for generations.
Artists displayed in this year’s collection include Stacie Jean Albano, Claire Barrett, Adrienne Berkland, Bob Christian, Julia Christian, Lennie Ciliento, Bailey Davidson, Joy Dunigan, Tate Ellington, Maxx Feist, Mary Hartman, Lind Hollingsworth, Ahmad Jackson, Liza Crowley Judson, Tafy LaPlanche, David Laughlin, Julia Licht, Beth Logan, Heather MacRae, Maddie Grace Maierhoffer, Rubi McGrory, Deborah Sheron Miller, Bernard Nolan, Jennifer Nolan, Michelle Perez, Melody Postma, Dana Richardson, Peter E. Roberts, Bryan Stovall, Lisa D. Watson, Rose Marie Woulfe, Heather Young and Jason Zimmer.
For more information, visit habitatsavannah.org.
