FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jessica Sund
Director of development and communications
507-424-1729
[email protected]
March 6, 2024
ROCHESTER, Minnesota—Tickets are on sale for Channel One Regional Food Bank’s newest fundraising event, Epicure: One Bite at a Time, April 27, 2024.
Featuring approximately 13 partnering restaurants providing epicurean bites, this exciting event will give approximately 250 guests a chance to eat, drink, socialize, and come together around something that connects us all: food.
Throughout the evening, attendees can enjoy tours of the facility, diverse foods and beverages, custom boutique cocktails, and a chance to procure exclusive food-centric auction packages. Attendees will experience a short program with people in the community who have faced food insecurity.
Hosts of the event’s program will be Epicure honorary co-chairs Susan Ahlquist and Brooke Carlson. They share why Channel One’s mission of strengthening food access and building healthy communities deeply resonates with them.
Following her career as a health care provider and administrator with Mayo Clinic, Susan now serves with community, regional, and national organizations focused on issues of community resource development, governance, access, and equity. She served on the Channel One board of directors for six years and chaired it for two. “As a previous board chair for Channel One, I have experienced firsthand the great work this organization does for the region. Seeing the record number of people in our community experiencing food insecurity is staggering and unacceptable. An event like Epicure can really help to shed light on this crisis,” Susan said.
Brooke Carlson—Susan’s daughter—is Rochester’s current City Council President and a consulting firm owner since 2013. She is deeply committed to improving health and addressing the root causes of inequities. “Access to food is a basic human right. I understand the disparities that exist in our community and am thrilled to support Channel One’s work that helps everyone access the food they need to thrive,” Brooke shared.
Last year, Epicure raised more than $102,000. Proceeds from this year’s event will support Channel One Regional Food Bank and its programs to address food insecurity in 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
“Epicure helps showcase this important work to make sure our community’s neighbors have the same access to food,” said Virginia Witherspoon Merritt, Channel One Regional Food Bank executive director. “We look forward to welcoming the public into our warehouse to see and support what Channel One does in our region for those experiencing hunger.”
Tickets are on sale now for Epicure: One Bite at a Time for $150 per person. Visit the Epicure event page for more information and to purchase tickets.
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About Channel One Regional Food Bank
Channel One Regional Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, strengthens food access and builds healthy communities. Channel One operates food programs to serve local and area needs such as: a food bank, a food shelf, mobile pantries, Kitchen Coalition, and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Channel One Regional Food Bank mobilizes organizations, volunteers, and donors to serve the network of over 160 nonprofit programs that provide food for children, adults, and families in need. Channel One serves 14 counties across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. For more information, call 507.287.2350 or visit helpingfeedpeople.org.
