A partnership between Local Flavor AVL, Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, and Asheville Taxi is making strides with an initiative to end food waste and local hunger. Food Connection collects surplus food from restaurants and caterers in Asheville, and delivers the food to those who will enjoy it.
It’s about reducing food waste and easing the pain of immediate hunger, said Flori Pate, co-founder of Local Flavor AVL, a group that operates an app and website to connect tourists and newcomers to Asheville’s independent businesses and non-profits. Restaurants with surplus food first send a text to Food Connection notifying the organization of a donation, then Asheville Taxi sends a driver to pick up food and deliver it to a designated non-profit.
With recent support from Asheville Citizen-Times, PechaKucha, and others, Food Connection is off to an amazing start but needs your help to keep it going strong. Show your support by attending the all-star benefit concert featuring 30 local musicians on Friday, March 13th at the Atlamont Theatre. With donated time and talent from Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats, The Wilhelm Brothers, a duet performance by Eleanor Underhill of Underhill Rose with Silas Durocher of the Get Right Band, Posh Hammer, Jr. James & the Late Guitar, The Bread & Butter Band, The Moon and You, and Red Honey, the event will be a crowd pleaser.
All of the proceeds from ticket sales and raffle will go straight to Food Connection, which pays for the cab fare to deliver excess food from Asheville restaurants to the local non-profits. Doors will open at 5:00 pm and the show will start at 6:00 pm. There will be raffle items donated from local businesses. Tickets are $25 per person, with all proceeds benefiting Food Connection. Beer, wine, and food will be available for purchase from Cecilia’s Kitchen Food Truck and Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn. Tickets are available for purchase online: www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp
For more information about Food Connection visit www.foodconnection.co or email foodconnectionasheville@gmail.com.