Feeding Dreams Raises 350K at Naples Yacht Club Event, Supporting Meals for Florida Kids

(Naples, Fla.) — On Monday, January 13, 2025, Feeding Dreams, the Naples-based non-profit formerly known as Pan-Florida Challenge, hosted 100 special guests at the Naples Yacht Club to celebrate its recent rebranding and garner support for its mission to improve the lives of hungry children. The event saw resounding success, raising $350,000 in a special matching opportunity.

The total amount raised included a generous match from event sponsors Rick and Katrina Kash, John and Carol Walter, Jim and Tina Gula, event chairs Jill and Steve Miller, and Feeding Dreams’ founders Ed and Sue Mullen. Proceeds will help provide 2.5 million nutritious weekend backpack meals annually to chronically hungry children.

“In some of our programs, the kids we feed have improved their grades by 9%, the absentee rate has gone down 56%, and visits to the school’s nurse have gone down by 80%,” Event Sponsor Rick Kash said. “These are amazing results! These kids have much more success in their lives because of this program.”

“We’re incredibly grateful for the generosity of our Naples community. It’s truly heartwarming to see so many people come together for such an important cause,” said Feeding Dreams Founder Ed Mullen. “This isn’t just about providing meals–we’re giving children the stability and support they need to break out of poverty, to succeed academically, and to become self-sufficient adults in the future. This is what it means to truly give back.”

About Feeding Dreams: The mission of Feeding Dreams to combat childhood hunger and malnutrition that affect one in five children in Florida. Through grants, fundraising efforts, and school partnerships, we deliver highly nutritious meals to chronically hungry children. Helping to break the cycle of poverty, these meals lead to better health and educational performance, laying the foundation for a healthier, self-sufficient future for our children.