4th Annual Taste of Evanston Raises Over $50,000 For Charity

From The City of Evanston: The 4th Annual Taste of Evanston, The North Shore’s summer food festival dedicated to charity, served up samples of Evanston’s trendiest restaurants to a record crowd on Sunday. Over 500 people enjoyed offerings from 40 of Evanston’s most celebrated restaurants, breweries, and wine purveyors on the great lawn of the historic Charles Gates Dawes House. Vince Gerasole, award winning reporter and anchor for CBS 2 Chicago, emceed the event. The Jonah Karsh Quartet provided live jazz music.

Food and drink combined with philanthropy at the event themed “Hungry for Home” as most of the proceeds were donated to Connections for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization that serves people that are homeless or threatened with homelessness, and Reba Place Development Corp. a charitable organization that develops affordable housing in Evanston. Funds will also be used to support the ongoing philanthropic work of the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, the organization who organizes the annual food fest. Over $50,000 was raised by through ticket sales, sponsorships, a silent auction and raffle.

Keith Belton, who was once homeless, gave a moving account of his experience living in a cardboard box and explained how Connections helped him “learn how to live.” Today Mr. Belton is giving back to the organization by volunteering with Joining Forces for Affordable Housing, the advocacy arm of Connections for the Homeless.

Speaking to the crowd, Evanston Mayor Steve Hagerty said “Taste of Evanston should be called Best of Evanston… we have the best restaurants, the best non-profit organizations, and the best neighbors who have come out for this event.”
Connections for the Homeless Executive Director Betty Bogg said, “We are honored to be selected this year by the Evanston Rotary Lighthouse as a recipient of the proceeds from the Taste of Evanston. This will go directly to support our homelessness prevention, shelter and housing programs.”
Adrian Willoughby, Executive Director of Reba Place Development Corp, announced to the crowd that Reba Place will name a community space named after the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, the organization that organizes the Taste of Evanston.
Tours of the spectacular home of our 30th US Vice President ran throughout the evening as festivalgoers dined and enjoyed bucolic views of Greenwood Street Beach and Lake Michigan.
Top sponsors include ZS Associates, Ruth D. Rosin, First Bank & Trust, North Shore Dentistry for Children, Private Vista, Sammic, Brad Weiss DDS, Bradley investment Center, Brinks Home Security, Creative Care Management, Glader Filmworks, Magnetar Capital, MS Group Real Estate, Northwestern University, Rotary International, and WCGO Radio 1590.
The festival included selections from Agortles Dessert Shop, Bangers & Lace, Bluestone, Boltwood, Bourbon ‘n Brass, Celtic Knot, Chef’s Station, Cupitol, DB3 Donuts, Edzo’s, Farmhouse, Frio Gelato, Good To Go Jamaican Cuisine, Hearth Restaurant, Hecky’s Barbecue, Hewn Artisan Bread, Hoosier Mama, Jennifer’s Edibles, Kabul House, Kansaku, Kerrygold, Kinship, Lulu’s, Mount Everest Restaurant, NaKorn, Koi, Noire d’Ebéne, Patisserie Coralie, Peckish Pig, Red Hot Chilli Pepper, Rock ‘n Ravioli, Taco Diablo, Taco Diablo, Tomate Fresh Kitchen, That Little Mexican Café, and YoFresh Yogurt Cafe. Participating local breweries include Sketchbook Brewing Company and Temperance Beer Company. Wine will provided by Vinic Wine Company, and the Wine Goddess. Soft drinks courtesy of Valli Produce and International Fresh Market.

Image via The Taste of Evanston