Sonoma Overnight Support hosts Halloween fundraiser
Sonoma Overnight Support is hosting its 3rd annual Halloween Drive-Thru fundraiser to support its food program, a year-round effort that serves over 5,000 free meals every month.
“It’s a community effort,” says Kathy King, SOS’s executive director. “We get some of our produce from local farms, we have more than 50 local volunteers in the kitchen, but we can’t do it without the community’s financial support.”
Since starting with SOS in 2011 as a consultant, King has overseen significant changes to the organization’s make-up and mission. What once started as a small, home-cooked meal program, has become a major source of food for hundreds of people throughout the valley.
The COVID-19 pandemic only served to exacerbate this change. In two years, the organization grew from serving just over 17,000 meals per year, to over 55,000 in 2021. Since 2021, SOS has served over 100,000 healthy, fresh meals to members of the Sonoma Valley community.
“The need is still there,” King said. “We still have people coming in every day and we continue to serve around 5,000 meals a month – some months more like 5,500.”
Chef Dan Kahn works with his mostly volunteer crew to prepare healthy meals based often on unexpected ingredients. “It’s hard to make a menu in advance when sometimes you’ll get 50 pounds of tomatoes donated on Tuesday which can throw off all your plans for the rest of the week,” he says. Even though the kitchen staff often has to move things around, they manage to put out hundreds of breakfasts and lunches to anyone who needs them.
The very same kitchen staff is elevating the cuisine to provide a fine-dining experience to donors who participate in the Halloween fundraiser.
The menu this year includes bone-in, center cut pork chop brined in apple cider and oven roasted, served with bourbon sauce, accompanied by Puréed Sweet Potatoes & Roasted Brussel Sprouts. To start, velvety smooth roasted cauliflower garnished with micro greens and a three cheese medley appetizer including crimini mushroom stuffed with gorgonzola, organic cherry tomato filled with herb cheese, topped with slivered almonds, and crostini with brie and mango chutney. There will be a vegetarian option as well.
Sebastiani Winery has generously donated the wine for the second event in a row, Alexander Valley Cabernet and Pinot Grigio.
“I equate food with love,” says Chef Kahn, “and I feel good when I go home like I’ve done something productive and for the general greater good.”
To learn more about the fundraiser, visit sonomaovernightsupport.org and click on halloween. The last day to order meals is October 23rd.
