Peter Mougey, a local attorney with Levin Papantonio Rafferty (LPR), has a message of gratitude for Pensacola: “Thank you for feeding our children.â€
Mougey and his wife, Katrina, along with the law firm, were sponsors of the Heart of Pensacola “Dinner on the Grounds†fundraiser event held on April 14. Based on a Southern farm-to-table gathering that started in the 1930s (by people who really knew about hard times), this event generated more than $530,000 to help those in need and to combat nutritional inequality in Escambia County.
Proceeds from the event will help provide healthful food to those who live in local “food deserts†(neighborhoods with no or low access to fresh produce and healthy foods) and will benefit the American Heart Association’s education and research efforts.
“It is deeply distressing that a high percentage of our community’s children must go to bed and school hungry,†said Mougey in press release. “That’s why I was so gratified by the outcome of this event. The community didn’t just ‘show up.’ You opened your hearts in an amazing way and raised much more money than we ever anticipated.â€
Heart of Pensacola—which the Mougeys co-founded with the American Heart Association (AHA) and other leaders—already provides weekly boxes and backpacks of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy snacks to more than 500 families in our community. School-aged children receive a weekly backpack filled with nutritious food to get them through the weekend. The proceeds from Dinner on the Grounds will help expand these efforts.
In addition, Heart of Pensacola supporters had previously raised approximately $350,000 in cash and $500,000 in “in kind†donations over the past six months—which, when added to the Dinner on the Grounds proceeds, brings the total to approximately $1,380,000.
Participating Restaurants and Chefs
Noah Tomko, Chef de Partie, Boka, Chicago, IL
John Huggins, Chef de Cuisine, The Fish House
Jason Duckworth, Executive Chef, Seville Quarter
Daniel Watts, Executive Chef, Classic City Catering
Amy Potmesil, Executive Chef, The Well
Rudy Rudolph, Executive Chef, Pensacola Yacht Club
Jody Salway, Executive Pastry Chef, The Macaron Ladies
Justine Gudmundson-McCain, Executive Pastry Chef, Bluejay’s Bakery
Jordan Hewes, Executive Chef, Craft Gourmet Bakery
Top Sponsors
Levin Papantonio Rafferty
Spencer Law
HCA Florida West Hospital
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital
Baptist Health Care
Florida Power & Light
Step One Automotive Group
Beré Jewelers