July 26, 2016 – Our generous local food community seems to get even more amazing in times of crisis. Donations of food and prepared meals are pouring in for victims and firefighters battling the Soberanes Fire, still raging out of control in the Santa Lucia Mountains.
At least three fundraisers have already been set to help those burned out of their homes in Palo Colorado, including cheesemaker Charlie Cascio, chef Matt Millea and Big Sur Vineyards owners Lenora Carey and Richard Gebhart—who lost their home and their vineyard to the flames on Sunday.
“You get over the initial shock and then you think – it’s just a house – and then you get busy and try to help others,” said Carey, who is planning a fundraiser at their Carmel Valley tasting room on Friday from 6-9pm.
A dinner to benefit Cascio and Millea will take place on Saturday at Happy Girl Kitchen in Pacific Grove, with chef Tim Wood of Carmel Valley Ranch. A third fundraiser is being planned for August 28 at Folktale Winery with food from Pig Wizard, chef Thomas Snyder of Esteban Restaurant and Terry Teplitsky of Wild Thyme Deli.
The fast moving fire has burned 19,311 acres, as of the last Cal Fire briefing on Tuesday morning. Twenty homes in the Palo Colorado community, north of Big Sur, were burned to the ground.
In a show of bravery, Cascio moved the goats from his Sweetwater Farm to a safe location far from the fire and then returned to try and defend his home, riding out the fire holed up in his cheese cave.
“Two people very dear to our hearts lost their homes in the fire,” said HGK’s Jordan Champagne. “100% of the proceeds from the dinner will go to help Charlie and Matt and we are asking people who come to also bring a promise of something like a painting or a dresser that they can offer when the time is right in the future. Right now they don’t need anything, but they will down the road.”
Happy Girl Kitchen will also act as a hub for people who want to send messages of support, promises or checks to Cascio and Millea.
Meantime, Carmel Valley chef Gabriela Forte and her husband Carlos are collecting donations of food and fresh clothing to take to the 2,305 firefighters now working the blaze. They started a Facebook page to organize the donations called Carmel Community Pay It Forward Force, where they have already collected food donations from Earthbound Farm Stand, Roux and Carmel Belle, among others.
The Red Cross, which has set up an emergency shelter at Carmel Valley Middle School, is accepting donations of commercially prepared meals for those fleeing the fire. Again the community has responded generously with meals coming from The Forge, Allegro, Whole Foods and Safeway.
Alvarado St. Brewery has announced a fundraising effort for the Soberanes Fire Fund set up by the Community Foundation for Monterey County. This Friday, July 29, Alvarado St will donate $1 for each pint purchased at its downtown Monterey Brewpub or Salinas Tasting Room.
With the fire just ten percent contained and an evacuation advisory now in effect for portions of the Carmel Highlands, our thoughts and prayers are with all of the evacuees and the firefighters. Gratitude goes out to our generous community.
About the author
Deborah Luhrman is publisher and editor of Edible Monterey Bay. A lifelong journalist, she has reported from around the globe, but now prefers covering our flourishing local food scene and growing her own vegetables in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
