Thursday, July 13, 2017 3
Coastal View News • Tel: (805) 684-4428
The Food Liaison serves up spirit of giving Week-long Christmas in July supports local causes BY PETER DUGRÉ
To hear Jason Rodriguez, The Food Liaison co-owner, talk about the late philanthropist Michael Towbes, you get the impression Towbes was Santa Claus incarnate. There’s hardly a local organization that didn’t feel his generosity, and Rodriguez has big ideas when it comes to celebrating Towbes’ legacy while pumping The Food Liaison proceeds into local organizations during the restaurant’s Christmas in July celebration, Monday through Friday, July 24 to 28. Rodriguez with wife and TFL co-owner Nirasha hosted a one-day Christmas in July last year to support 3-year-old Forrest Holt, who was born with major vascular malformation. In three hours, they raised $5,000. “I was like, ‘This year, we’re going to do it again, but we’ll spread the love to more groups and causes,’” Jason said. “We’ll take a whole week and raise funds and awareness for all these people who are so dedicated to the community.” Jason dove in with his signature exuberance and ambitiously designed the week-long event to include raffles with prizes relevant to five beneficiaries along with an ongoing digital photo exhibit for customers to view to learn the story of each beneficiary. He said choosing the five was the hardest part, and they broadly used criteria of groups being local and vocal—organizations that already are visibly working hard to fundraise and make a difference in the community. On Monday, July 24, TFL is again supporting Holt, now 4-years-old; July 25 benefits Plaza Playhouse Theater; July 26 is Girls Inc. and The Howard School; July 27 is Franklin Trail Phase III; and July 28 is Carpinteria Arts Center. Jason also met Anne Towbes, Michael’s widow, to gain her blessing in creating a landmark event in Michael’s honor. The Towbes Group owns Shepard Place Shops, where TFL is located. “He was just a super generous person and donated hundreds of millions of dollars,” Jason said. “I think these are good footsteps to aspire to follow.” Part of selecting each beneficiary, Jason said, was finding causes like medicine and the arts, of which Michael was such a big supporter, but it turned out that the umbrella of his philanthropy covered pretty much everything. The raffle, which has already started and runs through July 28, includes prizes ranging from a Los Angeles Kings Package to an Outdoor Recreation Package and Digital Artist Package—think game tickets, a bicycle and digital camera, among other prizes. Local businesses have supported raffle prizes, and sponsorship opportunities remain. For complete information on raffle tickets, event Go Fund Me pages and beneficiaries, visit TheFoodLiaison.com/CIJ. “This year our goal is $50,000 for the
DUGRÉ
From left, The Food Liaison co-owners Jason and Nirasha Rodriguez and manager Alyssa Potter aim to raise $50,000 with their Christmas in July fundraiser.
The Food Liaison Christmas in July Monday - Friday, July 24 - 28
Expansion more than doubles TFL space
Friday: Carpinteria Arts Center
When it opened three years ago, The Food Liaison was mainly a catering company for creative California fresh cuisine that had a lunch counter to serve overflow dishes and provide a public interface. “People would walk in and ask, ‘This is a restaurant?’” said co-owner Jason Rodriguez. It was a valid question for the narrow spot. “We had two tables in this little hole in the wall.” It was a lunch counter that caught fire, and is now a successful and sought-after eatery that serves 1,000 plates a day (including catering for many local businesses); thus necessitating expanding the seating area and kitchen. The new space opened at the end of March, and Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting for it on Friday, July 28. The stainless steel and glass-façade’s clean look remains central to the larger design, but there is also a homey bookshelf stocked with cookbooks that gives the feeling of a living room mantle. In the new space, TFL offers expanded cooking classes and pop-up restaurant nights featuring local vintners, brewers and chefs. “The events are less hands-on than the cooking class. You sit down for multiple courses and learn the story of the food,” Rodriguez said. Also, newly on tap are local specialty wines and beers, including Smoke Mountain Brewery—the limited-release craft brewery located on Rincon Mountain.
week, but the overall vision is to keep growing with each year as we raise awareness and support the community,” Jason said.
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All tips, 50 percent of counter sales and 100 percent of raffle proceeds donated daily
Monday: #ForrestStrong Tuesday: Plaza Playhouse Theater Wednesday: Girls Inc. & The Howard School Thursday: Franklin Trail Phase III
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Monday, July 17, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. Carpinteria City Hall - Council Chamber 5775 Carpinteria Avenue Carpinteria, CA 93013 Help keep Carpinteria in shape by participating in this kick-off meeting in support of the City’s General Plan/Coastal Plan Update. Join in a discussion to improve the health of our City and neighborhoods through access to healthy foods, safer biking and walking routes, parks and open spaces, after school and recreation programs, community classes, health care services, clean water and clean air. What other health-related topics are important to you? Come to this meeting and let us know. For more information, call Julia Pujo at (805) 962 0992 x240 and visit our website at http://www.carpinteria.ca.us/communitydev/GeneralPlanUpdate.shtml.