Happy Anniversary Volunteers!

Congratulations to the Food & Friends volunteers who have served for at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 years! The individuals listed below were honored at the annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on April 19, 2012.

20 Years with Food & Friends
Doris Bates	Karen Fitzgerald	Beverly Ringel
Harry Bridges	Anne Matson	Karen Stierman
Rev. Msgr. Ray East	William Paris	Bill Wooge
		Lea Emerson
15 Years with Food & Friends
Javier Barker	Father Donald Heet	Lee Patton
Amy Boris	Michael Hendrickson	Larry Perry
David Boris	Bill Hillegeist	Carole Preston
Stacey Brahmey	Marvene Horwitz	Dan Rosman
Jennifer Canane	James Lehman	Elisa Rosman
Peter Clifford	Cesar Libanati	John Ruppert
Seton Cunneen	Nelly Libanati	Gary Samuels
Christopher Evans	Steve Lopez	Sid Shapiro
Christian Faulkner	Pete Lublin	Andrea Tucker
Mel Goldberg	Opal-Dawn Martin	Lori Welsh
Debby Greenstein	Paul Merrick	Gary Young
10 Years with Food & Friends
Anna Barnes	Maria Lacek	Martin Powell
David Belsky	Robert Langdon	J.D. Presley
Donald Benedict	D'Wanna Lee	Barbara Prince
Tom Biesiadny	Jean Lee	Margaret Roles
Carol Bresler	Joan Lee	Larry Rowe
Shelley Brosnan	Nan Lowe	Beverly Russell
Jacqueline Brown-Woody	Myrina McCullough	Tracy Schneider
John Burwell	Brian Miller	Paul Sicari
Dennis Giblin	Judy Miller	Pat Simpson
Joel Goldstein	Kenneth Miller	Kathy Smith
Bernard Greenhow	Sheela Nayak	Jeffrey Vail
Alan Gross	Victor Nevilles	Olga Velazquez
Diane Hutchins	Lee Nienaber	Carrie Wade
Donald Jones	Vincent Norelli	Ottis Watkins
Holly Ketchel	Laura Peebles	Andrew Zbikowski
Marianne Klink	David Peiffer
5 Years with Food & Friends
Lisa Antenucci-Sicari	Greg Holden	David Oblich
Rosa Azuine	Zakiyyah Holmes	Cindy O'Brien
Charlotte Bahin	James (Dick) Hospital	Chris Ogburn
Jay Ball	Tom Hull	Jason Peaco
Calvin Banks	Charles Huntley	Susan Pierce
Patricia Banks	Kamille Johnson	William Pratt
Meenie Bardonille	Felicia Jones	Constance Ragsdale
Laurie Bauer	Harvey Kabran	Brittany Reyes
Linda Baxter	Dan Kaufman	Carolyn Rogers
Beverly Billingsley	Lelia Kenley	Jane Rowe
Brandon Broderick	Rosalind Kennedy	Wanda Rudd
Louise Buchenhorst	Chaz Kerschner	Douglas Salter
Lea Carrington	Jane Kerschner	Brian Shannon
Dexter Cole	Arnold King III	Kristie Shields
Juanita Covington	Lisa Kinnard	Tom Shierling
Earl Davy	Kent Kunze	Morgan Slusher
AnnJanette Ellison	Joan Linderman	Tom Shierling
Molly Finnegan	Christopher Lintz	Morgan Slusher
Tim Fiocchi	Dana Lintz	Austin Smokowicz
Ryan Fitzgerald	Daniel Lintz	Rebecca Smokowicz
Elizabeth Friedman	Celia Maxwell	Michael Spekter
Marjie George	Donald McArthur	Bonita Spurgeon
Warren Gibson	Meg Meyer	Greig Stewart
Monique Gudger	Mabel Mitchell	Janet Studley
Marie Haile	Angie Moore	Charles Talley
Ben Harkins	Linda Morgan	Matilda 'MJ' Urquhart
John-Paul Hayworth	Deborah Myers	Claudette Washington
Wilhemina Heriot	Robert Neighbour	Adam Weers
Marlene Hoffman	Benjamin Nussdorf	Susan Zeleniak

Mexican Fiesta: Cooking for Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner! During one of our recent client cooking classes, I found myself in the midst of new friends who were thrilled to learn some great new recipes and cooking techniques. Therefore, we had plenty of reason to celebrate, and decided to do so with a Mexican Fiesta! 

The word ‘salad’ often generates visions of iceberg lettuce topped with tomatoes, cucumber and carrots.  By now, you have realized that the Cooking Matters cooking classes are all about thinking beyond the ordinary- the word ‘salad’ in our class brings on a whole new meaning.   Instead of lettuce, Linda mixed black-eyed peas and corn for the base of this side salad.  Fresh flavors were formed when Kay skillfully chopped bright green cilantro and red onions.  Cumin added some heat, while crisp green bell pepper mellowed everything out.  Our resulting Southwestern Black-eyed Pea and Corn Salad was anything but iceberg!

Upon visiting any Mexican restaurant, patrons are typically greeted with a basket of tortilla chips and some kind of salsa.  That basket of greasy, overly salted, fried chips is a far cry from anything served up in our kitchen.  However, since you can’t have a true fiesta without chips and salsa, we chose to improve the nutrition of the chip by making our own!  Tuwanda created perfect little triangles from fresh, whole-corn tortillas.  These were simply lightly coated with non-stick spray and baked for a mere 10 minutes.  The resulting product- a perfectly light and crisp chip that would make the ultimate vehicle for our Mexican-inspired dips. 

After a quick demo from Chef Sophie, Ana easily cut and scooped the ripe avocados needed for our guacamole.  Wendy assisted in the slicing and dicing; soon we had the quintessential guacamole flavors from finely diced red onion, fresh cilantro and lime and just a touch of heat from jalapenos.  This smooth and creamy guacamole was the perfect accompaniment for our crispy chips. 

Meanwhile, Lon and Wanda worked together to create a fresh mango salsa- cool cucumber and warm jalapeno contrasted nicely in this treat for the taste buds.  Lastly, Tuwanda and Kay got to work on a cooked tomato salsa.  Since tomatoes are not yet in season, the canned version was used.  With the sweetness of cider vinegar and the warmth of cumin and cayenne, this salsa provided multiple layers of deliciousness. 

With our chips, dips and side salad ready to be gobbled up, we still needed the star of the meal.  A mixture of fresh, canned and frozen vegetables were all sautéed together as the filling for our quesadillas.  Black beans and low-fat cheese contributed both protein and texture.  Each participant chose their ideal amount of filling and got to work browning their whole-wheat tortillas for their perfect quesadilla.  With the sound of sizzling cheese and laughter from the group, I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to bring this Mexican Fiesta to an end.  I cannot wait to see (and taste) the culinary masterpieces that will be created by this wonderful group in the future!

By: Morgan Davis, RD, LDN

Restaurant Roll Call: Whole Foods Market

THIS Thursday, April 26th, is Dining Out for Life day! Many of you have already made your reservations to dine out at one of your favorite participating restaurants for lunch, dinner or both!

Maybe your schedule is hectic and you aren't yet sure if you will be able to dine out to support those in our area battling life-challenging illnesses. No worries - we have you covered. You can still support Food & Friends this Thursday by DINING IN!

Stop by any of the 4 Whole Foods Market DC locations (Foggy Bottom, P Street, Georgetown & Tenleytown) and select your meal from their Salad Bar or Hot Bar. You'll be grabbing a great meal on the go and 50% will be donated to Food & Friends! Dining Out this Thursday couldn't get easier.

Restaurant Roll Call: Whole Foods Market!

WHY DO YOU SUPPORT FOOD & FRIENDS?

Whole Foods Market aligns itself with the same mission and concept of fostering community and giving. As we bring the highest quality and freshest foods to our markets, we want Food & Friends to succeed with this mission as well.

WHY DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN DOL?

This is our first time participating in Dining Out for Life. We try our best to meet our community and to give back through store donations. As well as supporting events such as Dining Out for Life, each store supports a 5% Day four times a year, where 5% of that days sales will be donated to a local nonprofit organization. Overall, our community giving well exceeds 5% of our total net profits each year!

WHAT MAKES WHOLE FOODS MARKET UNIQUE?

While our store donations provide the backbone of our community giving, we also give back to the larger national and global community. Our Whole Planet Foundation fights poverty through micro-lending in rural communities around the world. There are approximately 200,000 clients that we have helped through Whole Planet Foundation. We also support projects that relate directly to organics and environmentally-friendly production methods, animal welfare, sustainable seafood, and healthy families and nutrition. We’ve recently launched a Whole Kids Foundation's whose mission is to improve children's nutrition. Check out one of our school gardens that we helped ‘grow’ into one of the best teach and learn gardens in the city, The Farm at Walker Jones.

WHAT'S NOT TO MISS AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET?

Try our Organic Salad Bar! Not only do we offer organic produce throughout the store, you now have it available at the salad bar! Some of our favorites are the Garlicky Kale. Even those who refuse to eat kale fall in love with it.

Dine Out this Thursday by
DINING IN with Whole Foods Market

Or grab a seat at one of our 125 participating restaurants!

Giving Comes Full Circle In Washington, DC

During her lunch break,Sondra West will be volunteering as a Dining Out For Life Ambassador. That’s right, she’s utilizing a break from her full time job to support Washington, DC AIDS Service Organization, Food & Friends. What makes her work so hard? “My goal,” says West, “is to help spread the word about Food & Friends and the work they do.”

Howard Casaway IV

Though this is West’s first year as an ambassador, she is no stranger to working with the local ASO. For nearly ten years Sonda West has helped prepare food, raise money and, as she puts it, spread the word about what the organization does. Food & Friends provides meals to those in need, and groceries to those who have the ability to cook for themselves. “Some patients are diabetic, so you need to watch for that. Others are on a low sodium diet. And there are children, too, who you’re packing meals for.” West’s life was deeply touched by the organization and her involvement with Food & Friends has been her personal way of giving back.

“My brother lost his battle with AIDS in 2004,” says West. “And then my step-brother, Howard Gasaway, developed throat cancer. Food & Friends helped my step-brother get the nutritious, pureed meals that he needed. He was a big bear of a guy, and the illness took a real toll on his body. It was so important to get him something nutritious.” West explains that he lives on in memory and in spirit. Her one year-old grandson shares not only Howard’s name but also his birthday.

“I know a lot of volunteers deliver the food, and they get to meet the clients. They see the impact of Food & Friends,” explains West. “I already saw that in my own family, so I’m usually in the kitchen, packing the meals.” But this year is different, this is the year West steps out as ambassador.

To West, there’s no question in her mind about wanting to reach out and help others. “It’s important to help people because you never know when you’re going to be the one who needs the help,” she states. “[Dining Out For Life] is such an easy way to make an impact,” says West. “Just go out and eat, and you’re raising money. I know plenty of people do it inadvertently because they’re just eating out. That’s how easy it is!”

Sonda West will be at Tabard Inn in Washington, DC during the lunch shift. Stop in and say hi, show your support, and fight HIV/AIDS.

Courtesy of the Dining Out for Life International Blog. Posted by julie@chatterblast.com on April 18, 2012. www.diningoutforlife.com.

Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week!

During National Volunteer Week, and all year-long, we want to say THANK YOU to our team of 12,600 volunteers for their dedication, generosity, tireless work and commitment to helping us deliver hope, one meal at a time. 

To express our deep appreciation, enjoy the video below and see Food & Friends' staff thanking you in a unique way!

In honor of this week we are celebrating our volunteers with the following activities:

Monday, April 16: Tour the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian and enjoy lunch in the food court with your fellow volunteers. 

Tuesday, April 17: Join us as the Nationals take on the Astros.

Wednesday, April 18: Executive Chef, Mark Locraft, is hosting a special cooking class just for you.

Thursday, April 19: Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at Food & Friends. You’re the Star and it’s time for you to shine. Enjoy good food and great company. Dinner is served from 6:30-9:00pm.

Some activities may be full. Please contact Angela at agaudette@foodandfriends.org for more information about Volunteer Appreciation Week.  

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

Restaurant Roll Call: Open Kitchen

Thursday, April 26th is fast approaching... make your reservations for a Dining Out for Life participating restaurant in your neighborhood. Check out what Virginia restaurant Open Kitchen, has to say about why they support Dining Out for Life and why you should too!

Restaurant Roll Call: Open Kitchen!

WHY DO YOU SUPPORT
FOOD & FRIENDS?

Open Kitchen supports the Food & Friends mission because we have all known someone who has suffered from HIV/AIDS, cancer or another life-altering disease. We have watched them go through difficult times and have supported them in any way we can throughout their process of dealing with the disease. Our owner, Hue-Chan Karels, had served as a volunteer in Food & Friends’ kitchen back in 2002, prepping meals for Food & Friends’ clients, as well as served as an Ambassador at several Dining Out for Life events. She is now proud to open her kitchen to Food & Friends.

WHY DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN DOL?

Dining Out for Life helps expose the mission and values of Food & Friends to a wider audience and we are proud to be a part of this event.

WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR RESTAURANT?

There are three main things that we feel are extra special about Open Kitchen:

Open Kitchen is not just a restaurant. Open Kitchen serves as a culinary space for cooking classes and private events as well. We have many social events, corporate parties, and even our own version of Iron Chef Competitions.

Another thing that sets us apart is the labor of love we put into preparing food for our guests. We believe in serving honest, fresh, hand-made food sourced from local ingredients. In this labor of love, we make our own stocks, blend our own spices and even grow herbs on our terrace. We do not get our demi-glace, jus, or sauces out of a can; we make them fresh in our kitchen. We truly honor each guest by preparing “real” food.

Another special aspect of Open Kitchen is the “dining experience” we bring to our guests. When guests dine at Open Kitchen, not only do they feel the labor of love we put into all the dishes we serve, they also experience our sense of “family”. Our employees aren’t just “employees”, they are a part of our team we call a “family”. This sense of family is extended to each guest.  We truly care about what we make, how we serve it and what you think.  As Executive Chef Ken says, “We aren’t Secret Kitchen, we are Open Kitchen.” Ask us a question about the ingredients, how your meal is prepared or take a tour of our kitchens. We are here to share! Our goal is to prepare honest food, share how we make it and have you enjoy each course. And when a guest tells us, “That’s the best meal I’ve had in years!”, we know we’ve done our job!

WHAT'S NOT TO MISS ON YOUR MENU?

• PEI Mussels
• Crisp Roasted Half Smart Chicken
• Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops
• White Chocolate Sun-dried Cherry Bread Pudding

Dine at OPEN KITCHEN for
this not-to-be-missed dining experience!
Make a Reservation for 04/26 on OpenTable.com.

Cheney Cardiovascular Institute makes a donation that could save a life.

Food & Friends wants to recognize and thank the Cheney Cardiovascular Institute at The George Washington University for its generous donation of two Automatic External Defibrillators (AED). This gift will help us protect our staff, volunteers and guests from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). SCA is the nation’s leading cause of death and is the result of an electrical disruption in the heart, causing a very rapid and very faint beat, preventing the circulation of blood and oxygen to the rest of the body. The AED was given to Food & Friends through the ReStart DC program, which also provided training on how to use and maintain the device. AEDs are easy to use and speed the response to SCA victims while awaiting emergency services. 

In March, Food & Friends staff members had the opportunity to attend First-Aid, CPR and AED trainings. Participating staff members are now aware of where the AED is located and have the basic skills that may save a life or prevent further injury. Food & Friends will be holding additional trainings for staff members unable to attend the first two dates. The presence of an AED here at Food & Friends is a reminder that a healthy heart is critical to our overall health, and we urge our entire community to make wise eating, exercise and lifestyle choices. Furthermore, we all play a role in responding to sudden cardiac arrest. If we see someone collapse, please get help, call 9-1-1, start CPR and get the AED.

Food & Friends staff showing off their CPR/First Aid certificates

Restaurant Roll Call: Trattoria Sorrento

On Thursday, April 26th, find a Dining Out for Life participating restaurant in your neighborhood. Check out what Bethesda restaurant Trattoria Sorrento, has to say about why they support Dining Out for Life and why you should too!

Restaurant Roll Call: Trattoria Sorrento!

One of Bethesda's longest running family owned Italian restaurants since 1991, Trattoria Sorrento offers a truly authentic Italian experience with family and friends. All cuisine is prepared to order by the DeSimone chefs with the freshest ingredients and over 50 years of culinary talent.

WHY DO YOU SUPPORT FOOD & FRIENDS AND DOL?

Food & Friends is a well organized non-profit helping those in need in a multitude of ways. Supporting the organization and the event is all about getting together and helping our community.

WHAT'S NOT TO MISS ON YOUR MENU?

Roasted calamari, anginetti rice balls, homemade over-sized ravioli and other homemade pastas. Breads, veal and chicken entrees, tasty seafood such as rainbow trout topped with crab meat in an herb white wine sauce and white mild Mediterranean fish oven baked, called Branzino prepared at its finest. Australian lamb chops and much much more. 

At Trattoria Sorrento there is something for every palate! Come enjoy! 

Dine out at Trattoria Sorrento on Thursday, April 26th!
Make a Reservation on OpenTable.com.