The evening began with live jazz from The Steve Hogan Duo, played softly in the background of eating, drinking and mingling by guests and volunteers alike. The opening ceremony featured speeches by Amy Wilson, director of Ashoka's Youth Venture SF Bay Area; Antonia Jackson, program facilitator of Ashoka's Youth Venture SF Bay Area; Anisha Desai, director of New Leaders Initiative at Earth Island; and Ahmed Rahim, co-founder and CEO of Numi Tea.
Amy Wilson & Anisha Desai
Food was prepared and provided by several wonderful local chefs, markets and bakeries. Dishes ranged from Squid Panzanella to Roasted Banana Cupcakes with Nutella, from Garlic Noodles to Green Tea Cakes with Red Bean Filling. The food was fresh, delicious, and well-received by all. The open bar featured a variety of sodas, beers, and wines from local companies and restaurants.
Roasted Banana Cupcakes with Nutella and Whipped Cream
Live Hummus Stuffed Endive Cups with Carrots and Beets
A Look at part of the Spread: Stuffed Nasturtium Flowers & Leaves, Pasta Niciose,
Fresh Fruit, Sandwiches, Baked Goods, Ginger-Pear Tarts, Green Tea Cakes, Garlic Noodles, Creamy Spinach, ending with the rather popular open bar.
Throughout the evening, guests were invited and encouraged to participate in the Silent Auction, composed of a huge variety of Bay Area adventures, anywhere from yoga to cooking classes, and truly unique artwork. Highlights included SF Bay Whale Watching for two with dinner at Roam Artisan Burgers; a Ride, Wine & Dine for two with Napa Valley Bike Tours; original art pieces by local artists Ian Ross and ARMO, and many more exciting items and packages.
A look at the silent auction, with artwork by Ian Ross
Later on in the evening, our two guest speakers made appearances on stage: NY Times bestselling cookbook author, Mollie Katzen, and James Berk, the leader of the Healthy Neighborhood Store Alliance, each talking about the important topic of food justice. At closing, during the rush of the final minutes of the silent auction, local artists O-Zone and J-Milli-on performed a rap together onstage. It was an exciting close to a wonderful evening. Between registration, silent auction, and donation, A Night to Benefit JUST FOOD got us $10,000 closer to our fundraising goal. Thank you to all who participated and contributed!!
A full list of the evening's sponsors:
Numi Organic Tea
Better World Telecom
Media Sponsor: Oakland Local
Silent Auction Items provided by:
SF Bay Whale Watching, Funky Door Yoga, Central Works Theater, Women's Initiative, Global Exchange, Parties That Cook!, Shotgun Players, Bocanova Restaurant, Sea Life Conservation, Kiva, The SFMOMA, Proof Lab Surf Shop, Forever Redwood, O.A.R.S., Namaste Yoga, ARMO, Ian Ross, Big Dog Surf Camp, OCSC Sailing, Cheeseboard Collective, Amanda's Restaurant. (I know, you're sorry you missed it, huh?)
Food & Drink provided by:
Berkeley Bowl Marketplace, Arizmendi Bakery, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Planet Organics, Raw Manna, Amanda's Restaurant, Nabolom Bakery, Anchor Brewing Company and Lagunitas Brewing Company.
Food prepared by our fabulous chefs:
Ray Jang, Lisa Trustin, Alexander Sharone, Ellen Ginsberg, Erin Fox, Alex Stone, Bill Page, Lisa Brooks-Williams and Maggie Pilloton.
A huge thank you to our tireless event producer, Jocelyn Corbett, as well as other pioneering volunteers: Alexander Sharone, Andrea Woodside, Angela Karegeannes, Ariella Neckritz, Ben Cushing, Beth Harris, Lupe Jacques, Maddy Gold, Natalie Bigelow, Ruth Gebreyesus, Sarah Grandin and Tim West.
And thanks to Sahiti Karempudi for the photos!
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