Pine Hills Turkey Distribution
Antwan Edwards serves the Pine Hills community under the name Anutha Chanz, he runs Protect Thy Head Ministries. Chanz uses it to collaborate with other ministries, political leaders and community organizers to connect with residents to hold anti-violence gatherings, back-to-school supply give-aways and, as he was on Saturday, donating turkeys and thanksgiving dinner fixins.
Nikki’s Place is Out in the Community
Nikki’s Place has been serving authentic Southern food in Paramore for nearly seventy five years. Owners Elaine and Nick Aiken Junior have run the twenty-seat restaurant on Carter Street for twenty-five of those years. Elaine manages the books, Nick runs the kitchen and their daughter Nikki works the dining room.
The food has stayed pretty much the same since Nick started working for the previous owner, back in 1953. On Fridays, Nick Jr. hits the road to sell meals from his van. Engage joined him for one of his ventures.
Metallica Scholars at Valencia
Valencia College is in its fifth year with the Metallica Scholars Initiative program. The community college uses funding from Metallica‘s All Within My Hands Foundation to support students in the welding, mechatronics, and CDL programs. Valencia College graduate Robert Blackowski is a scholarship recipient. Carolyn McMorran is the Assistant Vice President of Professional Continuing Education at Valencia. Renée Richardson is Director of Philanthropy of Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation. All three join Engage to discuss the impact of the program on Central Florida.
SKATE BUD
In 2019, Zach Moldoff and his wife were living in Los Angeles. He was trying to get a business off the ground that promoted skateboarding events and concerts, and he found great satisfaction from the interactions with the kids in his community. Following the COVID pandemic, the Moldoffs set up shop in Orlando near Zach’s family, and this is where Skate Bud began to take shape. Zach sees an opportunity to provide kids with a healthy distraction from the risks of the streets by giving them something they can focus on and control. Zach partnered with numerous businesses, and now he travels into communities in and around Orlando and Miami where he provides the parts and knowledge for kids to build their own skateboards. Engage Producer Richard Copeland stopped by the Pine Hills Boys and Girls Club to talk to Zach and learn more about Skate Bud.
J Henry Barbershop Unites Parramore
J Henry’s Barbershop is a pillar of Parramore and a prominent gathering place in Orlando for more than three decades. It was destroyed by a fire in 2021. It took more than two years to rebuild and just reopened last week. We visited the shop to talk with the owner, John Henry, about how the community is celebrating its resurrection.
