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Ivanna Farms

Where Caring Meets Cooking … Local Restaurateurs Give Back at “Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening”

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Cocktail hour at Feed Me Fresh event

For 21 years, the Mount Kisco Child Care Center (MKCCC) has brought the community together through its annual “Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening” event. The fundraiser unites families, friends, and local restaurants through celebrating the importance of supporting early childhood education, healthy nutrition, and accessible childcare.

However, those who are close to the cause know that the Feed Me Fresh tradition is more than just a fundraiser. Thanks to the generosity and dedication of partnership restaurants who donate their time and provide services, staff, and delicious food, Feed Me Fresh has become an evening defined by community collectivity.

Maarten Steenman from La Tulipe preparing dessert

Dawn Meyerski, Executive Director of MKCCC describes the event atmosphere as unique to most fundraisers. “The evening is far more casual,” Meyerski says. “The cocktail hour, when all the restaurants are there and people are mingling, is very different from other fundraisers. This one seems to feel like home. I think the people who come feel that.”

That warm, inviting energy is exactly what keeps longtime supporters like Exit 4 Food Hall Owner and Chef Isi Albanese returning year after year. A part of Feed Me Fresh since the beginning, Albanese shares that his favorite part of the night is the social cocktail hour.

“That’s when the magic happens,” he says. “You see the board members, supporters, chefs, and volunteers come together – tasting the best of what local food has to offer, sharing stories, and making connections.”

“For restaurant owners like me,” he adds, “it’s our chance to give back, to connect with the people who support the Center, and to remind everyone that great food and great causes go hand in hand.”

Isi Albanese Chef and Owner of Exit 4

Proceeds from the event, held at Ivanna Farms in Mount Kisco, go towards supporting scholarships for local working families so that they may have access to high-quality childcare and early childhood education.

When thinking about an outstanding aspect of the evening, Tommy Calandrucci, Co-Owner and Chef at both Stone Fire and Basilico restaurants, admires the event landscaping.

“They put the place together beautifully,” he says. “It has this farm-to-table feeling.”
Feed Me Fresh not only celebrates community involvement, it also reflects the Center’s core values and mission. Through the delivery of a fresh, healthy plated dinner by Calandrucci’s team, and all the other participating restaurants, who prepare amazing tastings, the event brings to life MKCCC’s commitment to nutrition and hands-on learning, incorporating their “Feed Me Fresh” curriculum.

“I am happy to be a part of something that is local and touches the families in our community,” says Calandrucci about his continued involvement in the annual fundraiser.

This year’s Feed Me Fresh event will be held on September 20th and will embrace a festive fig theme. Regarding his culinary plans for the evening, Isi Albanese says, “I’m not sure yet what we’ll serve, but I promise it’ll be great.”

19th Annual ‘Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening’ to Take Place on September 23 at Ivanna Farms

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19TH ANNUAL ‘FEED ME FRESH: AN EDIBLE EVENING’ CELEBRATES LOCAL CUISINE AND COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF MOUNT KISCO CHILD CARE CENTER’S MISSION

A Culinary Fundraiser at Ivanna Farms Promises an Unforgettable Evening, Honoring Notable Community Members and Benefiting MKCCC’s Scholarship Program

August 15, 2023 (Mount Kisco, NY) – Mount Kisco Child Care Center (MKCCC), a non-profit committed to providing equitable access to high-quality child care and early education to a diverse group of children, is thrilled to announce the 19th Annual “Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening” fundraiser, taking place on Saturday, September 23rd, 2023, at 5:30 PM at the picturesque Ivanna Farms in Mount Kisco.

MKCCC, serving working families in Westchester since 1971, currently nurtures 145 children from 3 months to 11 years old in full-day care, before-school, after-school, and summer camp programs. At the heart of MKCCC’s award-winning curriculum lies the Feed Me Fresh program, a garden-to-table nutrition initiative that includes gardens outside of each classroom.

Inspired by MKCCC’s innovative curriculum of the same name, “Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening” is an event where top local restaurants come together to donate an evening of culinary excellence highlighting the importance of fresh, nutritious and delicious food for children and in support of families in need within the community.  Their involvement has helped the event become a truly unique tasting experience as well as a critical fundraiser.      

All proceeds from the evening will directly support the MKCCC’s scholarship fund, underlining our dedication to making high-quality child care accessible for all families in our community.

From last year’s Feed Me Fresh event on behalf of the Mount Kisco Child Care Center. Featured here (upper right) Isi Albanese,  Chef and Owner of Exit 4, and (lower center): Maarten Steenman, Chef and Owner of La Tulipe.

This year, MKCCC is privileged to honor its 2023 recipients, who have shown consistent, invaluable support:

  • Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, our Foundation Partner
  • Pamela Stone of The Benefit Shop Foundation, a Longtime Supporter
  • Mimi Tesfaye of Mimi’s Coffee House, a Feed Me Fresh Supporter and Longtime Restaurant Participant

In addition, there will be a special remembrance of a great friend, Twink Wood, who contributed so much to MKCCC for more than 30 years. 

The MKCCC invites you to join this celebration of local flavors, sustainability, and community. This promises to be an evening to remember – a testament to community spirit, philanthropy, and the transformative power of fresh food and education.

Tickets are now available for purchase at mkccc.org. Come enjoy a beautiful autumn evening, celebrating and supporting the mission and community of Mount Kisco.

About Mount Kisco Child Care Center:

Mount Kisco Child Care Center is a non-profit, accredited child care facility committed to providing equitable access to high-quality, affordable care to children in a safe, healthy environment through innovative and developmentally appropriate programming. Established in 1971, MKCCC serves working families, providing the highest quality early care and education, including our Feed Me Fresh garden-to-table nutritional program.

Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening

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MKCCC to Host 9th Annual Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening

feed-me-pixMount Kisco Child Care Center (MKCCC) will host its 9th Annual Feed Me Fresh: An Edible Evening event on Saturday, September 28 beginning at 6 p.m.. The flagship fundraiser will once again be hosted by Eric Hadar at Ivanna Farms in Bedford Corners, NY.  The Honorary co-chairs are Beverley & Sabin Streeter and Twink & Jim Wood.

This year’s honorees include Dottie Jordan, who is retiring after nearly 30 years as Executive Director of the Center. David Griff, MKCCC’s President of the Board of Directors,  noted: “Under Dottie’s leadership the Center has become the preeminent child care center in Westchester County.” The Center will also honor the late Grace Marwell and the Marwell Family. Grace was a founding member of the Mount Kisco Child Care Center’s Board of Directors. As a board member and long-time volunteer, Grace helped set the standards for the high-quality programming at MKCCC. She and her family have been dedicated to MKCCC for over four decades.

In keeping with the Center’s seasonal and local farm-to-table philosophy, the event will feature pumpkin specialty drinks and tastings from many of Westchester’s top restaurants. For a full listing of restaurant participants and other sponsors (including Inside Chappaqua Magazine!) plus information about tickets, donations, and additional sponsorship opportunities, please contact Christine Meyer at 241-2135 or email: cmeyer@mkccc.org.

About the Mount Kisco Child Care Center (MKCCC)

MKCCC  is a non-profit, NAEYC-accredited childcare facility serving families in Northern Westchester communities since 1971. MKCCC provides exceptional and affordable early care and education to a diverse group of children from three months to eleven years of age. Our experienced and professional teachers, along with our innovative curriculum and programs, such as JEWEL (MKCCC’s Intergenerational Program) and Feed Me Fresh (MKCCC’s garden-to-table, sustainable nutrition program) create a childhood experience like no other.

feedmeMKCCC is located at 95 Radio Circle, Mount Kisco, NY, 10549. For additional information, please visit www.mkccc.org. or call  241-2135. Follow MKCCC on www.facebook.com/MKCCC and www.twitter.com/MKCCC10549 
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