'Gather Round the Table' brunch to benefit Fox Valley Food for Health
The Fox Valley Food for Health nonprofit organization will host its first "Gather Round the Table" Community Brunch on Sunday, April 15, to raise funds to support the organization's mission of providing nutrient-rich meals, nutrition education, and personal, caring support to individuals and families dealing with cancer or other serious illnesses.
The event will be held at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles.
Brunch patrons may choose between one of two seatings: 10:30 a.m. to noon or 12:15 to 1:45 p.m.
The brunch will feature two local chefs: Francois and Betsy Sanchez, formerly of Chez Francois, as well as Molly Evans, Food for Health executive chef, along with the Food for Health Teen Chefs.
Tickets are $40 or $20 for students. Children ages 5 or younger are free.
The price includes a gourmet buffet brunch of select healthy, delicious specialties from the Food for Health kitchen, served by organization volunteers.
For added enjoyment, live music will play during the event and a short presentation will take place. To ensure a comfortable dining experience, a limited number of tickets will be sold.
Ticket sales will end April 9. For tickets, visit foxvalleyfoodforhealth.org.
Established in 2012 by area residents Mary Fremgen and Susan Leigh, Food for Health is a network of adult and teen volunteers committed to supporting the severely ill by preparing and delivering weekly meals that nourish the body and soul.
Mentor chefs and adult volunteers empower high school teens by teaching them valuable culinary skills and healthy meal preparation, as well as offering them the opportunity to serve those in great need.
During the school year, teen volunteers prepare and package organic healthy meals two days in the afternoon.
Adult volunteers deliver meals on a weekly basis to families who have committed to a 12-week program.
The summer months are spent planting and harvesting an organic garden located on the grounds of Mooseheart Child City and School in North Aurora.
To date, more than 40,000 meals have been delivered to nearly 200 families in the Tri-City area.
To be eligible for the program, individuals must reside within a 30-minute radius of the Kane County Fairgrounds and be open to a mainly plant-based organic diet.
The program runs completely on donations from the community and is free to those it serves.
"Over the past year, we were able to grow our program over 40 percent," said Mary Fremgen, board president of Food for Health. "And we expect to see a growth of another 40 percent by the end of the June. We continue to meet the need in our community for our neighbors struggling in health crisis, and local teens wanting to learn valuable lessons about healthy food preparation while giving back to their community. Our goal is to reach out to those in our community who need our support, one family and one teen at a time."
"The only way we can expand our program further is through grants and charitable donations, and fundraising events like this one. We are always looking for new ways to raise money so we can serve additional people," added Executive Director Susan Leigh.
Food for Health sponsors other fundraising events throughout the year, including an Eagle Brook-sponsored golf outing, a dance gala in the fall, the Kitchen Walk, and other smaller events that all contribute to the bottom line.
To purchase your "Gather Round the Table" Community Brunch tickets or for more information on Food for Health and how you can get involved, visit foxvalleyfoodforhealth.org.