The 16th Annual Leadership in Sustainability Awards Gala will have plenty of sustainable and appetizing options to enjoy! Courtesy of our partners, Calicraft Brewing and Captain and Viano Vineyards, there will be sustainable and local food, beer and wine to try. For dinner, two new partner organizations will be contributing food: Pacific Coast Farmers Association (PCFMA) and Farm Fresh to You (FFTY). We'll also enjoy yummy fresh poke from Pacific Catch. Sustainable Contra Costa is excited that once again Cindy Gershen will be lending her talents the Awards Gala, preparing delicious meals using produce donated by FFTY and PCFMA.
For those unfamiliar with Cindy Gershen and her work, she is a 2021 Leadership in Sustainability Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Some might also recognize Cindy as the founder of Sunrise Bistro and Catering in Walnut Creek. Not only is Gershen a chef, but she also carries the titles of being an activist, author, and teacher. She continues to spread her message of nutrition, wellness and healthy eating throughout Contra Costa County. She previously created and led the Sustainable Hospitality program at Mt. Diablo High School. While she no longer teaches, she continues to work closely with teachers at Mt. Diablo and Las Lomas High School to incorporate a curriculum that highlights sustainability and the impacts of regenerative farming.
Gershen has been a SCOCO friend and collaborator from the very beginning. When SCOCO was organizing the very first Awards Gala, Gershen shared the idea of working with local restaurants in downtown Walnut Creek to donate food to the Annual Gala. It brought great success and exposure for SCOCO and its work. Since then SCOCO and the Awards Gala has grown tremendously, creating an annual evening where the community can get together to recognize and celebrate the local heroes who make the community a better place. This year Gershen will be cooking the meals with the help of Sisters in Recovery, a group she works closely with. And of course this would not be possible without the amazing contributions made by FFTY and PCFMA.
Farm Fresh to You is a second-generation family-run business that offers delivery services that brings a mix of 100% certified fresh organic, hand crafted farm products, recipes, and tips directly to your home or office. This creates the bridge between communities and local farms, allowing people to eat better, shop locally, and transform the food system conveniently. They are dedicated to supporting sustainable farm practices by incorporating healthy crop rotation, ecosystem diversity, and efficient water usage and carefully choosing quality produce for the community. FFTY will be partnering with SCOCO this year and be at the Gala to spread their mission and help people sign up for the convenient farm box delivery services. Attending the Awards Gala this year and interested in supporting FFTY’s cause? Be on the lookout for their table at Gala – Sign up with the SCOCO promo code and Sustanable Contra Costa will earn 10% back with each delivery, and you will save 5% on all your deliveries.
PCFMA, the second organization contributing to the Gala, has been around since 1988, making it the largest and oldest market association on the West Coast, consisting of over 300 farmers and vendors. PCFMA’s objective is to connect Bay Area communities to California farmers. With the over 30 different Certified Farmers Markets locations they host, PCFMA is able to make accessing local, tasty and fresh fruits and veggies a little easier. Locations are throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Find the closest one to your neighborhood on their website here. Some farmers' markets are open year round on weekends, while others have set dates and during the week. There are endless options and locations to choose from; you’ll never miss an opportunity to shop local!
Next time you go to visit a PCFMA market, keep an eye out for current seasonal items like fresh beans, corn and melons. Their website outlines all the vendors present at each market, what each one sells, and even a handful of recipes to inspire your meal planning! Try this Savory Melon Salad recipe where the star of the show is an in-season fruit, watermelon. This recipe is super-easy and will be so refreshing on these hot summer days!
We hope you join us at the 16th Annual Awards Gala to savor the food and drinks and celebrate the winners. Still need tickets? Register here!
Sources:
https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/news/2017-all-star-teacher-finalist-cindy-gershen/1306037/
https://eastbayhealthcare.org/cindygershenchef
Photo by Shelley Pauls on Unsplash
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