Community rallies behind Bread & Broth

Hundreds of people on Jan. 18 help raise money for Bread & Broth 4 Kids at the chamber’s mixer at Riva Grill. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

Food that rivals most restaurants on the South Shore – that’s how good dinners are at Bread & Broth.

While it’s only open one day a week, it is a lifeline for so many in the community. It’s not unusual for 100 people to show up at St. Theresa’s Grace Hall in South Lake Tahoe on a Monday. Many are there every Monday.

Everyone is invited. No proof of income, or lack of it, is required.

Seconds are available for those who are still hungry. The stragglers are often able to leave with leftovers. Plus, there are always bags of food for the taking.

It requires money to keep this 29-year-old nonprofit in business, especially as it has expanded its services through the years. Bread & Broth has a partnership with the Presbyterian Church in town, which serves soup on Fridays. And now there is Bread & Broth 4 Kids.

The youth oriented program provides weekend food bags to more than150 students in grades K-8. With more than 60 percent of the students in Lake Tahoe Unified School District eligible for a free or reduced lunch, it means many of them have little to eat when school isn’t in session.

Bread & Broth 4 Kids is designed to be that bridge between Friday and Monday. Much of the food items are things youngsters can easily make for themselves like soup, macaroni and cheese, tuna and other canned products. It includes packets of applesauce and protein bars – things that can be eaten on the go, or stuffed into a pocket.

Bags of donated food will help feed local students. Photo/LTN

The community came together Thursday to help these kids. The evening marked the ninth annual charity mixer put on by the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce. For the past few years Bread & Broth has been the recipient, with the Jan. 18 event specifically for Bread & Broth 4 Kids.

“We choose Bread & Broth as the recipient because their supplies are often depleted after the holiday season, and we understand the importance of helping to alleviate the food insecure on the South Shore,” Brittani Curtis with the chamber told Lake Tahoe News. “Through the help of the South Shore community, we raised $1,299 at the 2017 Connect for a Cause Charity Mixer.”

The goal this year was to raise $1,500. The tally from the entrance fee, raffle ticket sales and silent auction have not been tallied yet.

The chamber hopes to host more Connect for a Cause Mixers with different nonprofit organizations. 

In addition to raising cash for Bread & Broth 4 Kids, guests were asked to bring non-perishable food items. Bags and bags filled a table and the space below it.

While the kids are getting quick items, those who show up for the Monday hot meal receive a well-balanced dinner that includes a protein like beef, chicken or fish, vegetables, bread, salads, and dessert. The latter is provided by area businesses.

All ages – including families – partake in the Monday meal.

While it’s a restaurant grade kitchen where the cooking takes place, there are plenty of things besides the clientele that separates Bread & Broth from a traditional dining establishment. Cooks often don’t have formal culinary training. Instead of having the luxury of a set menu to work from, they arrive that day to see what is in the kitchen and pantry. Creativity is essential.

(This reporter works one day a month at Bread & Broth serving food and working cleanup.)

The nonprofit might think about inviting a broader cross section of the community and charging a nominal fee or asking for a donation from those who can afford to give. The food is worth it.

For more information about Bread & Broth, or to donate or volunteer, go online.