Haiti and the long table, a second fundraiser

I’ve always thought it would be cool to have an absurdly long dining table. Something that could be used to host a ton of people for a meal, with folks slowing down to spend time with one another and savor the community of a shared dining experience… a table so long that would push your understanding of the breadth of your community.

There’s something magical that happens when people gather just to have a meal together. The food tastes better, the conversations are richer, and time just seems to melt away… in that moment, the world feels a little smaller, a little closer.

LaV and I had a chance to host a meal for a “long table” this weekend for eight of our Seattle friends and two new friends in town for the weekend from the Bay Area. This was the largest group of people we’ve hosted for a Fishes+Loaves meal… we had to create an actual “long table” by putting two tables end to end in order to fit everyone in.

Each of these ten individuals participated in this meal to raise money for One Day’s Wages’ Haiti Relief and Rebuild Fund. And thanks to their enormous generosity, we were able to raise another $1,850! Combined with last week’s event, that’s a total of $2,950 over just two meals! Just a drop in the bucket for a nation whose need is extraordinary, but it’s encouraging to know that these funds are going to much needed relief efforts on the ground in Haiti right now.

This was the menu for the evening:

j cuvee 20, strawberry

hamachi crudo
beet foam, meyer lemon zest, greens

2007 catalina sounds, sauvignon blanc

“ssam gyup sal”
coffee-cured pork belly, perilla, carrot, pickled daikon, nori paste, cilantro

ozeki sake, warm

miso-marinated black cod
baby bok choi mui, carrot

2006 efeste, ceidleigh syrah

syrah-braised oxtail
celery root risotto, chevre, beetroot “gastrique”

meyer lemon tart
chocolate, mint oil, cream

And some photos…

Much appreciation to Jeremy W., Melissa, Rebecca, Jeremy A., Jessica, Joe, Darwin, Carol, and new friends Matt and Jen for participating in this meal and for your generosity! Thanks to you, the community we enjoyed around this “long table” extended out, in a small way, to those in Haiti who are searching for shelter, medical attention, comfort, and care.

Here is a video from Derek Sciba of World Concern (one of the partner organizations receiving funds from One Day’s Wages) providing an update on the organization’s current relief efforts and strategies for the disaster response. If you are looking for a way to contribute funds to recovery, relief and rebuilding efforts in Haiti, please consider the One Day’s Wages Haiti Relief and Rebuild Fund, or any of a number of reputable nonprofits working to assist in Haiti.

Lastly, we hope to continue hosting Fishes+Loaves meals for a variety of different causes throughout the year. If you are interested in being on our email list for notification of upcoming meals, please send an email to us at fishesloaves@yahoo.com and follow us on Twitter (@fishesloaves).

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~ by jak on January 24, 2010.