I’m home, after three weeks of international travel that included escorting my ladies’ group through Greece, then heading off on a scouting mission through Sicily and Istanbul. And everywhere we went, people wanted to feed us.
From the rooftop of a friend’s Turkish carpet store to a catamaran on the Mediterranean, food was always part of the welcome. There is something so wonderful about a table filled with good, local food. It brings people together, starts conversations, creates memories and reminds us that some of life’s best moments happen when we slow down to share a meal — no matter where in the world we are.
Back home, I’m reminded that for some of our neighbors here in Bonner County, putting food on the table is a daily worry. Rising grocery prices, unexpected medical bills, job changes and other personal crises can turn an ordinary trip to the grocery store into an impossible balancing act.
That is why I was so happy, even after 30 hours of air travel, to make it home last week in time to attend Ending Hunger, Bite-by-Bite, benefiting the Bonner Community Food Bank.
The evening brought our community together for food, fun, and a wonderful cause. Admittedly, it would have been even more fun had I won the auction package, which included five friends and me being picked up at my home in a firetruck and whisked away for dinner at the fire station. Imagine the entrance! I was already mentally assembling my guest list, but alas, my bidding paddle — and probably my bank account — weren’t up to the challenge. Apparently, dinner in a firehouse is a hot ticket!
Beyond the fun and fabulous food, the evening had a much bigger purpose: helping ensure our neighbors don’t go hungry.
The Bonner Community Food Bank’s mission is straightforward and compassionate: to provide supplemental food to people in our community during times of personal crisis. Its vision reaches even further — to create a Bonner County where everyone facing a crisis receives nutritional support and access to resources that help them build a thriving future.
The need has grown dramatically. The food bank now serves approximately 3,100 households a month, up from about 1,800 in 2021. Those numbers represent more than statistics on a page. They represent families trying to stretch a paycheck, seniors living on fixed incomes, parents who want to put nutritious meals on the table for their children and neighbors who may never have imagined they would need help themselves.
That is what makes an evening like Bite-by-Bite so meaningful. Food has a remarkable way of bringing people together, and our local restaurants did their part, serving sublime bites in support of a cause that reminds us why we love gathering around a table in the first place.
Kudos to 113 Main, Baxter’s, Beet and Basil, Flavors of Phoenicia, Marigold Bistro, Opa, Spuds Waterfront Grill, Sweet Lou’s, The Bank, Ponderay Winery, The District, Little Spoon Bakery and Passionately Eclectic for showing up and sharing their delicious wares. What a wonderful way to demonstrate that good food can do good things! And did I mention the 219’s cocktail station, situated just steps away from my tired feet?
Every bite, every contribution and every act of generosity helps support the food bank’s work throughout the year.
Executive Director Debbie Love and the many volunteers, donors and supporters who give their time and energy remind us that a community is more than the place where we live. It is the way we care for one another.
And speaking of love, the evening had plenty of it. Debbie’s extended family filled two tables, offering a particularly heartwarming reminder that the Love family takes its name — and its mission — seriously.
Food banks must keep their shelves stocked long after a fundraising event is over. The holidays, in particular, bring additional pressure as families try to provide special meals while managing already tight budgets.
There are many ways to help. Organize a food drive at work, school or church. Add a few extra items to your grocery cart for donation. Make a contribution or encourage your neighborhood to get involved. Financial donations are especially valuable.
The Bonner Community Food Bank is also preparing for a move to Ponderay in December, marking another important chapter in its ongoing work. Growth brings new opportunities as well as new challenges. Change requires planning, resources and plenty of helping hands. It is one more reason to keep this important organization on our radar.
Food is comfort. Food is connection. And, when shared generously, food is love.
So the next time you’re planning a meal, shopping for groceries, or gathering friends around your table, consider how you might help another family do the same. Add an extra bag of groceries to your cart or double a batch of soup to share.
As I write this, I have a pot of sausage and kale soup simmering on the stove, and I’m looking forward to ladling some into containers for nearby neighbors. It’s a small gesture, but sometimes the simplest things mean the most.
After all, whether we’re dining in Istanbul, bidding on a firetruck dinner or sharing a bowl of homemade soup right here in Bonner County, the best part of any meal is knowing we belong at the table.
Sausage and kale soup
Easy to make substitutions for vegetarians (use veggie stock) and add cannelloni beans in addition to the potatoes (Yukon gold will hold their shape the best). Serve with hot crusty bread and a little Parmesan on the side. Yields 8 servings.
Ingredients: • 2 pounds ground Italian sausage (hot or mild) • 1 large onion • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 tsp Italian or bouquet garni seasoning • 4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced • 10 cups chicken broth • 1 large bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped • 2 cups half and half • Salt and black pepper, to taste • Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice • Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions: In a large soup pot, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles. Drain excess grease.
Stir in onion and cook until soft for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so. Add potatoes and cook until they are tender. Add beans if using.
Stir in kale and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until wilted and tender, then slowly whisk in half and half until blended.
Add salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan.
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