Food-related fundraisers mean foodies with a conscience can sip, dine, unwind, and give back

Backpack Buddies and the B.C. Hospitality Foundation put on parties for a cause

by Gail Johnson on May 16th, 2017 at 1:14 PM

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Attention all socially conscious foodies: two fundraisers that you’ll want to eat up are fast approaching.

First up: Dish ’n Dazzle, which is the signature fundraising event of the B.C. Hospitality Foundation. The charity supports workers facing financial crisis due to health issues and offers scholarship programs to up-and-coming hospitality workers.

The foundation also knows how to throw a good party.

Every year, the event features wine from a specific country, and this year it’s Chile. Guests will sip pours from about 15 different wineries as well as some limited production wines from the nation’s boutique wineries.

More than a dozen of the province’s finest chefs and restaurants will be serving special culinary creations, including Mamie Taylor’s, CinCin Ristorante + Bar, Forage, Glowbal Group, and La Grotta Del Formaggio.

The evening culminates in a cocktail competition featuring six of the city’s top bartenders, such as Jason Laidlaw from the Shameful Tiki Room and Quinton Leary of Long Table Distillery/Lavish Liquid Bar). They’re tasked with coming up with a new drink based on a Chilean theme.

Les is More provides the musical backdrop, while there’s also a silent auction.

Dish ’n Dazzle tickets ($89) are available online.

Backpack Buddies, meanwhile, is hosting its annual Food 4 Thought gala next Friday (May 26) to raise funds to bridge the hunger gap for children in need in the city’s inner-city schools.

Backpack Buddies ensures no child spends the weekend with an empty tummy.

While many students rely on free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs during the school week, these same kids go home to meager or no meals on weekends. Backpack Buddies involves kids from 14 schools putting together enough food to fill 1,400 backpacks for recipients from another 16 schools.

Backpack Buddies makes sure that kids in need attending inner-city schools go home with food to last through the weekend.

Backpack Buddies.

According to the 2016 B.C. Child Poverty Report, B.C.’s child poverty rate represents 163,260 children, which is a figure larger than the population of Abbottsford, the province’s fourth largest city. Without adequate nutrition, kids have difficulty concentrating and learning and are at risk of developing serious health conditions.

The gala takes place at Telus Garden and will feature cocktails and canapés as well as live entertainment by soul singer-songwriter Emily Chambers. Tickets ($120) can be purchased on Eventbrite.