Amid unprecedented natural disasters and a chaotic political landscape, the news can often feel like depressing. So, I’d love to tell you about some GOOD NEWS in our community!
You may have heard of JAFCO, the non-profit with a mission is to provide care, safety and support to children and their families within the Jewish community and beyond who are impacted by abuse, neglect, trauma, or developmental disabilities — giving every child a place to belong. My husband Howard and I have been longtime supporters of JAFCO and the fabulous work they are doing in South Florida and beyond.
So what’s the GOOD NEWS? I’m really excited to tell you about JAFCO’s new event venue, Illuminate, which is not only a wonderful event space, but it also enables the non-profit to provide jobs to young adults with developmental disabilities. These young adults are part of the JAFCO Children’s Ability Center here in South Florida and are learning important skills such as event set up, table setting, food storage, preparation skills, buffet set up, food presentation and cooking techniques, as well as food service sanitation procedures. They are also learning to prepare healthy meals from scratch and bake, all important life skills that can increase their level of independence in their future.
Illuminate is the first event venue with a cause of its kind, as it donates 100% of its proceeds back to a nonprofit organization. I love how JAFCO is truly shifting the paradigm in the non-profit event space by adding this additional layer of doing good. Illuminate is truly unique in that in addition to providing children who have developmental disabilities the opportunity to have a job, it also generates revenue to help support children and their families through JAFCO’s life-saving programs. Because of this, the rental fee for Illuminate is tax deductible, which is just an added benefit!
And let me tell you – the space itself is incredible! This breathtaking modern event center is complete with a pre-event bar space, grand ballroom, color-changing programmable lighting system, VIP/Bridal suite, sound and audio-visual system, state-of-the-art catering kitchen and provides a backdrop for whatever décor theme is chosen for an event. And their signature feature is an actual “fiddler on the roof.” Can you even?? I wish I could throw my kids’ bar and bat mitzvahs all over again!
The venue has already doubled its venue rental goal of $50,000 in one year, putting them at more than $100,000 raised for the children that JAFCO serves. “We are expecting to only grow from here,” Sarah Franco, CEO of JAFCO, told me. “Illuminate is nearly fully booked for the rest of the year, which is just amazing, most people find us on The Knot or Wedding Wire apps.”
Best of all, when you book your event you can decide which of JAFCO’s sites and causes you hope to support. See you at the party!
