Catholic Charities Spokane teams up with local chefs, breweries for fundraiser ‘Dig In’
Catholic Charities Spokane is known for its work helping the homeless, but is less known for its work on food programs. The organization is planning a new fundraiser to serve up local food, wine and beer to bring attention to its work with several different food programs.
“Dig In” will feature food from chef Jeremy Hansen of Sante, Inland Pacific Kitchen, Hogwash Whiskey Den and more. Beers from River City and wines from Overbluff Cellars will be served. The event is set for 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 23 at the historic Washington Cracker Co. building at 304 W. Pacific Ave.
Catholic Charities has a Food for All program that includes a farm in Vinegar Flats. A portion of the produce grown makes its way to local shelters and the Welcoming Table meals at low-income housing facilities run by Catholic Charities.
The organization also has a greenhouse that provides plant starts to community gardens and low-income housing residents and helps get children involved in nutritional activities at farmers markets.
“Housing and shelter is what people think of,” said Sarah Yerden, assistant director of development and communications. “They don’t know we have a farm or a greenhouse.”
“Dig In” will also feature live music. Attire is casual, and there is no reserved seating. Guests will visit five tasting stations that will serve gazpacho, lamb gyro, a charcuterie and cheese plate, Sante sausage and sweet crepes.
Some of the items in the recipes – dill, kale, micro greens and edible flowers – were grown in the garden run by Catholic Charities.
Guests can choose up to two drinks that are included in the ticket price, but additional drinks can be purchased for additional cost.
Overbluff Cellars will serve a variety of red and white wines. River City plans to serve a Kung Fu Death Monkey double IPA, River City Red and Experience Pale Ale.
“This is going to be a beer drinker’s heaven,” said events manager Sierra Heinen.
The event is not a sit-down dinner. “We’re kind of setting this up like a night market,” said Heinen. “This event is going to be really free floating.”
There will be three booths offering information about the food programs run by Catholic Charities. Guests who get a punch card marked at each booth will be entered for a prize drawing. The prizes include dinner at Anthony’s and yoga classes at Union Studios.
The night will also include a dessert dance, which is described as a combination of a cake walk and musical chairs. More than a dozen people will get a dessert donated by a local business to take home. Dessert donors include Outlaw BBQ, Mi Flavour and Boots Bakery.
People who donate $25 in the “Grub Grab” will get an envelope containing a gift card for $25 to be used at a local business, but people won’t know which gift card they are choosing.
“You don’t know what it is because it’s in an envelope,” Heinen said. “It’s a mystery until you open it.”