Food and Music Fundraiser Set Sept. 30

(PRESS RELEASE)_Parkland, FL (August 29, 2018) -- Actions for Change, an organization launched by Marjory Stoneman Douglas parents Doug & Jennifer Zeif, has teamed up with Shine MSD and Change the Ref, both born out of the tragedy of the February 14th Stoneman Douglas shooting in Parkland, to create the inaugural “Actions for Change Food and Music Festival” fundraiser on Sunday, September 30th from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Pine Trails Park in Parkland, Florida. The evening will feature sweet and savory bites, cocktails, a beer garden and a musical performance by nationally known artists. Tickets can be purchased at actionsforchange.com.

The goals of the event are four-fold:

• Provide healing by bringing love, light and hope through the arts
• Register people to vote 
• Raise national awareness about gun violence
• Raise funds for organizations committed to helping all of our nation’s youth

“We can never take back the events of that day, but our hope is that by mobilizing the next generation, no other community will experience what we have gone through,” Zeif said. “This Action for Change event is just our way of creating purpose out of pain. We felt like we had to do something and trying to soothe this community felt like the right thing to do.  Doing ‘nothing’ was not an option.”

FOOD
More than 30 highly acclaimed chefs from across the globe will participate, many of whom are James Beard Award winners and/or Michelin Star rated.  Participants include:
Suzanne Goin, Los Angeles
Marc Vetri, Philadelphia
Kimberly Lallouz, Montreal
Art Smith, Chicago
Danny Boome, U.K. & NY
Gabriela Camara, Mexico City/San Francisco
Michael Kornick, Chicago
Bradley Kilgore, MIami
Jeremy & Cindy Bearman
 and many more.

MUSIC
Live music will take place throughout the evening, with anticipated performances by nationally recognized artists (to be announced shortly.) 

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Doug Zeif

In addition, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary will perform with Douglas students and 10 prominent singers and songwriters, who have collaborated on an album that will be released on Spotify during the event. The Shine MSD students, who performed at this year’s Tony Awards, will also be featured.

ART
 Manuel Oliver, father of Parkland victim, Joaquin Oliver, will be painting a “Wall of Demand” live and there will be an online silent auction with art and many other tempting items worthy of being bid upon.  

Zeif, who brings more than three decades of experience in the hospitality industry, has collaborated with Executive Producer Superfly Presents and CReaM The Company, producers of the South Beach Wine &  Food Festival to organize the event, which is expected to raise near $1,000,000 to help the beneficiaries achieve their objectives for 2018 and beyond. 

Tickets can be purchased at actionsforchange.com and are $45 (Donor under 18); $195 (adult Donor Admission); and $350 (Super-Donor).  For more information on the event or sponsorship opportunities, call 888-488-1116.

ABOUT ACTIONS 4 CHANGE:
Doug Zeif wanted to do something.  He created Actions for Change with significant help from Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient, David Sable, Global CEO of Y&R , Wendy Zipes-Hunter and Jen Goldman-Freeman to raise the next generation’s awareness for voter registration and advocate for gun reform after a gunman killed 17 people at his sons’ high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. His 18-year-old son lost his best friend, Joaquin Oliver, and his son Matthew, 14, lost his teacher, Scott Beigel, in the attack. Once a day celebrating love, and affection – now a tragic memory engraved in the hearts of Zeif’s family, and the Parkland community. 

ABOUT CHANGE THE REF:
Change The Ref (CTR), a nonprofit 501 c-3 organization, was formed to empower future Leaders, giving them the tools they need to be empowered to make changes to critical issues that affect our nation, through education, conversation, and activism. Founded in the memory of their son Joaquin who was one of the 17 victims, Manuel and Patricia Oliver are committed to making sure that their son’s life and the lives of the other 16 victims are never forgotten and that real change happens to prevent future tragedies like this from happening ever again.

ABOUT SHINE MSD:
Shine MSD was born to raise relief funds for victims and their families and provide mental health programs centered around the arts at Stoneman Douglas High School and Parkland. We anticipate the healing and mental health needs in our community to be a continuous, ongoing effort with the potential to expand the scope of our work to other individuals and communities in need around the world. ​

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