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WATCH: Slow Food East End Helps Restaurants Pay Staff

Jun 6, 2020 | In The News

Laura Luciano, right, presents a check for $1,000 to Jason Weiner of Almond restaurant. 

Local governments are looking to permit outdoor dining where they haven’t before. That’s a good thing for Jason Weiner, chef/owner at Almond in Bridgehampton, who has been riding out the pandemic by serving takeout from his market next door three nights a week.
He applied for the payroll protection program, but the procedures and restrictions made the program hard to navigate. He still had to find a way to keep paying staff, including a long serving line cook, who had gotten sick.
Slow Food East End was happy to help with a donation of $1,000. You can help by donating to SFEE.
“The grant was elemental,” says Weiner. “We used a good chunk of it for our cook, who lives in a multigenerational house and contracted COVID-19. And we used a piece for a program we’re continuing for school lunches.”
Almond is one of the eight restaurants ­— including the Bell & Anchor, Art of Eating, 18 Bay, Estia’s, Noah’s, Love Lane Kitchen, Nick & Toni’s — on the East End that SFEE has awarded a Snail of Approval.
“We want to support them,” says SFEE chair Pennie Schwartz, “because of all they do to support us.”
Earning a Snail of Approval is not an easy task. A restaurant, caterer or farm stand must be recommended by a SFEE member and then fill out an extensive form, before a vote by the board. According to our website, “Snail of Approval is awarded to businesses that incorporate the Slow Food ideals of Good, Clean & Fair food. When customers choose a restaurant awarded with the SoA, they know they are consuming quality food that is mostly local and sustainably raised or grown.”
“Slow Food is really part of a crew of fellow travelers of farmers and fishers and cooks on the East End,” says Weiner. “It gives us moral support and shares our values.” He adds, “We’re all spokes of the same wheel and Slow Food is one of the hubs.”

UPDATE: Food Pantry Donations

May 26, 2020 | In The News

With your help, SFEE is feeding the community during this crisis. We committed to donate $15,000 to food pantries on the East End. You can donate to all the pantries too!

We recently told you about our donation to CAST (Community Action Southold Town) in Greenport. Next stop was St. John the Evangelist Parish Outreach and Bread and More Soup Kitchen at the First Congregational Church, both in Riverhead.

Demand has doubled at St. John the Evangelist Parish Outreach. According to their website, in April food was supplied to 266 people, which fed about 1,000 individuals. The pantry is run by Sr. Margaret Smythe, who for decades has ministered to the community, particularly immigrants, on the East End. At a point when most people are thinking of retirement, Sr. Margaret — who is known for her energy and the connection she has with the people she serves — has no such intention! Photo above of Sr. Margaret in the St. John the Evangelist Parish Outreach food pantry by Denise Civiletti.

Bread and More Soup Kitchen at the First Congregational Church of Riverhead can no longer serve sit-down meals inside the church and has been distributing them at the kitchen door. According to the RiverheadLocal Judy Barth, a volunteer with the soup kitchen, said “After the indoor meals were discontinued, at first only about 10 people were picking up to-go meals. As the availability of the service became known through word of mouth, the number of people served jumped up to 50.”

SFEE has been able to help these pantries, as well as others, only through the generous donations of our members which continue to come in each day. Each organization has sent a loud and clear Thank You for the assistance which they greatly need and appreciate at this unprecedented time. Stay tuned for an update on our South Fork pantry donations soon.

You can help us match our $15,000 donation to benefit all food pantries on the East End.

Food Pantries and 400 Chickens, So Far

May 20, 2020 | In The News

SFEE is working to feed people during this crisis. We committed to donate $15,000 to food pantries on the East End . You can donate to all the pantries too ! One of our projects is to help CAST (Community Action Southold Town), in Greenport, which serves the community on the North Fork. First stop with CAST was a donation of 200 fresh chickens to clients. The second chicken donation went to one of the Sunday dinners at Holy Trinity Church in Greenport.

“Those dinners feed on average 300 community members,” says Cathy Demeroto, executive director of CAST, who adds the number of their clients has risen by 25 percent since the start of the pandemic. “Our food costs have increased from $1,200 to $7,000,” she says. “The community has been extremely generous, but I am concerned if this continues we will not be able to maintain this into the fall.”

CAST has pantries at their offices in Greenport, the Holy Trinity Church, North Fork Episcopal Ministries; their mobile unit delivers to the homebound. You can help us match our $15,000 donation to benefit all food pantries on the East End.
Donate Here!

We are asking our members and supporters  to match our effort of $15,000 for the food pantries.

Give what you can. Click to Give the Gift of Food

Fundraiser a Success

Apr 15, 2020 | In The News, JLMF

Thank You!

I hope everyone in our Slow Food family is safe and healthy. These are disturbing times, but it does remind us when we work together we can accomplish a lot.

As you know, we had to cancel our annual fundraiser and are so grateful that so many turned their tickets into donations.

The cancelation caused us to quickly pivot and move our silent auction entirely online. Thanks to the generosity of those who donated items and experiences, and the many people who placed bids, were able to raise more than $35,000.

Dr. Pennie Schwartz, chair Slow  Food East End

Sponsors

Tasting Donors

Art of Eating Catering | Backyard Brine | Bell & Anchor | Complete Burger | Debbie Geppert with Bostwick’s Catering | Grace & Grit Catering | Green Hill Kitchen | The Halyard | Honest Man Restaurant Group | Kombat-cha | MattiTaco | Montauk Pearls | noah’s | Oyster Ponds | Paw Paw | Chef Peter Ambrose | South Fork Kitchens by East | End Food Institute | Simply Nicki | Yennicot Oysters

Beverage Donors

Kontokosta Winery | Lieb Cellars | Anthony Nappa Wines | Palmer Vineyards | Channing Daughters | Westhampton Beach Brewing Co. | Domaine Franey Wines | Saltbird Cellars | Wölffer Estate Vineyard

A Moveable Feast 2020

Jan 17, 2020 | In The News, Past Events

The Joshua Levine Memorial Foundation and Slow Food East End
Proudly Present “A Moveable Feast”

This Event Has Been Cancelled

Greetings Friends of SFEE:

In light of concerns about coronavirus, we have made a difficult, but necessary, decision to cancel this year’s “A Moveable Feast.”

It was difficult, because the support you provide is used for our 30 school gardens, but also our Master Farmers, the Chef to School Program, and many other events we sponsor and support. It is the right decision; your health and wellbeing means more to us. 

There have been months of planning and many hours of hard work leading up to this event. I’m sure you can imagine this, especially if you’ve attended before! 

It is a special evening. 

  • Filled with food from talented local chefs, delicious local wine and beer and great camaraderie. 
  • Wonderful volunteers do so much to make it run smoothly. 
  • We are above and beyond grateful for the generous support from our sponsors and businesses as well as our local community!! 
  • And of course the fabulous items donated to our silent auction, from gift certificates, to experiences, gift baskets, are all so important to help us reach our goals. 

So what now? After all, those gardens still need tending!

  • If you are a ticket holder, we hope you would like to turn your ticket into a donation. We believe now more than ever, teaching our kids about local, from seed to plant to fork, is such a big part of their health, as well as that of our local economy. (Your donation is fully tax deductible as allowed by law).
  • If you want a refund, please reply to this email either way.

Good News

  • Our Silent Auction will be live online in a week or so! Same great items there for your bidding. 
  • We will send you your winning gift certificate or deliver your bigger gift anywhere on the East End! It’s easy to bid, check your email and our social-media for more details. 

SFEE, as well as all the world, is watching and doing our best to be diligent in quelling the spread of COVID-19. When this has passed, we look forward to breaking bread together, to give and get hugs and to support the beautiful East End together. 

Yours in Health, 

Dr. Pennie Schwartz, Chair, Slow food East End 

Make a Donation