As COVID-19 continues to affect the equestrian community, some generous equine professionals are seeking ways to take advantage of the downtime due to a lack of competitions in order to give back.
Quentin Judge and Cayce Harrison of Double H Farm are currently based out of their Wellington home and were recently introduced to local charity, A Different Shade of Love. After joining forces with their friends Sheila Motley and Mat Allen of the Clubhouse, a popular restaurant in the Palm Beach Polo & Country Club, Judge and Harrison have been calling on their equestrian colleagues to support A Different Shade of Love as the organization works to support the homeless community during this challenging time.
After seeing a story about A Different Shade of Love on the local news, Harrison connected with her friend, Motley, to inquire about joining forces to help provide meals for the homeless. Additionally, Harrison and Judge reached out to friends and Camping World for tent donations and successfully accrued more than 40 tents so far to provide shelter for those who need it.
“I’m so humbled to have found A Different Shade of Love and to be able to participate in furthering their mission. Although times are hard for many of us right now, they are particularly tough for those who do not have easy access to some basic necessities,” Harrison said. “I was inspired by Francky Pierre Paul’s enthusiasm for the good work he and his team are doing and knew that my family, friends and I were equipped to help. Providing meals and tents is not a complicated task, but the good it does is far reaching. We are off to a great start but are hoping to include more support from the community.”
A Different Shade of Love is a nonprofit organization that believes that every person, regardless of their economic situation, deserves to be treated with dignity, shown respect and is given a second chance at living a meaningful and normal life. The mission of the organization is to provide quality clothing, shoes and other supportive services to the homeless and families in need and to promote proper hygiene, which has been made particularly difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. With thousands of homeless individuals in Palm Beach County alone, A Different Shade of Love faces a daunting task without public support and donations.
“We were introduced to A Different Shade of Love and their cause through Cayce and Quentin, who worked with us to provide the first meal delivery. Their excitement about getting involved and supporting those in need was contagious, and we are anxious to continue the deliveries as well as grow the donations,” said Sheila Motley, co-founder of the Clubhouse at PBPCC. “We were so inspired by the work Francky Pierre-Paul was taking on himself and the gratitude from the members of Tent City [a homeless community in Lake Worth] that it was easy to work to secure donations. We’ve received an incredible amount of support as well as new tents from Camping World to give shelter for those in need.”
Since finances are tight for those experiencing and combating homelessness during normal times, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clubhouse offered the first round of full meals for only $5 per person. On the day of the first delivery, 120 meals were provided to the homeless and, in just the next 48 hours, funds were raised for 1,500 more meals thanks to the generosity of the friends and supporters.
“We all face a time in life where certain situations knock us on our butts. Unfortunately, sometimes some people find it harder than others to pick themselves back up. I chose to serve a population that tends to get looked over because the perspective is that they are lazy and refuse to work or they are bums, alcoholics and lack a sense of direction. I started A Different Shade of Love to show their perspective and to share their stories,” said Francky Pierre Paul, Founder and CEO of A Different Shade of Love. “Homelessness is not just physical, it is also mental. In order to understand one’s perspective, you have to be willing to open up your heart and lend an ear so you can allow their stories to speak to you. The goal is to reach out and provide a reason to live again. One day we will start to house each and every individual we come across, but until then, we will continue to speak life into those who feel like they have lost it a long time ago.”
Double H Farm encourages all who have the means to do so to join them in their mission to provide for the homeless in support of A Different Shade of Love. To donate to the organization directly and be eligible for a tax write-off, visit www.adifferentshadeoflove.org. If you would prefer to donate directly to the Clubhouse for meal preparation, e-mail info@theclubhousepbpcc.com or call (561) 660-3300 during business hours, which are 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
