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Food Festival Gratitude – Christine James & Anny Ewing

Posted on by Anthony L.

(Via caledonianrecord.com)

Heartfelt gratitude to the St. Johnsbury community on behalf of everyone at the Northeast Kingdom Asylum Seekers Assistance Network (NEKASAN.org)!

Thanks to the generous contributions of volunteer time, local business sponsorships, delicious food, and adventurous appetites, NEKASAN served over 100 tasty meals at our 4th International Food Festival on Saturday, October 10 at Catamount Arts. On a glorious autumn day, Fall for Saint J participants wandered up from Railroad Street to taste culinary treats that included Pepper Kala from Liberia, Irish soda bread, arepas from Colombia, German Käsespätzle, tostadas and tamales from Mexico, Lebanese thyme pies, Ají de gallina from Peru, Persian saffron rice pudding, Thai spring rolls, French tarte tatin, and Namibian spinach stew over pearl millet, just to name a few! The visitors and families who attended went home with bellies full of great food and hearts & minds a bit more in tune with the cultural richness that abounds in the NEK thanks to neighbors from around the world who call our region home.

We are so grateful to everyone who participated in the Food Fest! The event brought in a total of approximately $3,000 via sponsorships and donations at the door, as well as over $1,500 in in-kind support from partners such as Catamount Arts and Sign Depot, and food donations from area restaurants. NEKASAN will use these funds to help asylum seekers in our midst stay housed, fed and cared for while their legal cases move through the complicated and expensive asylum process.

Please keep in touch with NEKASAN going forward. This is a particularly difficult time for asylum seekers and all immigrants, here in the NEK and around the country. We appreciate you staying informed about the challenges confronting newcomers in our midst, and being ready to offer additional support to help NEKASAN meet our mission of ensuring the Northeast Kingdom is a safe and welcoming place for all.

With sincere gratitude,

Christine James & Anny Ewing
St. Johnsbury, Vt.
Food Fest volunteers, NEKASAN

NEKASAN is a founding member of the Vermont-New Hampshire Asylum Support Network (VTNHASN). This network is comprised of 9 community-based asylum support groups in Vt & NH who work together to foster collaboration, share best practices, build capacity, raise public awareness of the issues involved in seeking asylum , and advocate for policies and funding that support our collective work and the asylum seekers with whom we work.

Check out the network website at https://vtasylumsupport.org/ and find:

  • Answers to many of your questions about working with asylum seekers
  • Advocacy information for contacting your elected state and federal officials
  • Our members' and partners' contact information
  • Ways to volunteer and support our work locally

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