Cuisine for a Cause

by Jennifer McGuffin

Imagine a night where you can nibble on all of your favorite foods and desserts, sip on a supreme beverage, dance your heart out, and dish out a little hope to some neighbors at the same time. That's exactly what will happen later this month at the Cuisine for a Cause fundraiser, which raises money for a quiet but critical local organization called Naperville CARES.

The event increases awareness to help the growing number of Naperville residents experiencing financial problems. Those problems can force a family into bankruptcy, make them relocate or cause extreme stress and relationship problems. Naperville CARES helps people in severe economic need by providing money, cars or other assistance to give them hope during their personal crises.

Naperville CARES began in 1998 with a group of concerned citizens wondering what they could do to help their neighbors in need. Since then, the Naperville community has supported this desire to share some financial resources. The ever-growing group, Naperville CARES, allows people to receive financial help and keep their dignity, as well.

The month's benefit offers the tastes of Naperville, served up with popular side dishes like local music and live and silent auctions. The night is a chance to taste-test dishes from the city's diverse restaurants like Kiku Japanese Steakhouse and La Sorella di Francesca to Indian Harvest and east African Masala Yangu. There's also wine tasting from four local outlets. Guests can munch and mingle while listening to the sounds of music groups like the Sapphyre Strings youth violin group, Naperville Central and Naperville North High School bands, the Weber Irish Dancers and the Sounds Abounds DJ.

Cuisine for a Cause will be held Saturday, April 26th beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Northern Illinois University Outreach Center at 1120 East Diehl Road, Naperville.

The event is sponsored by Van Kampen Investments and My Chef Catering, which coordinates the eateries and provides serving, heating and refrigeration equipment to keep the food at its best. Karen Garlough is one of the owners of My Chef Catering and the chairperson of Cuisine for a Cause. "For the well-known restaurants, it's a chance to connect with their clientele. For newer or smaller restaurants, it gives people a chance to try their food. The event has tremendous reach, about 500 potential customers," she says.

Tom Cardaro, the president of Naperville CARES' board of directors says proceeds from the event help support the organization's emergency fund, which provides money for Naperville residents who suddenly find themselves in dire financial straits. "With a recession on the way, or possibly here, there are a lot of people who are just one bad event away from real problems. One sickness, a job loss or car accident can ruin many people financially," he says. Naperville CARES provides that rent check or grocery money to help. Proceeds from Cuisine for a Cause also pay to repair donated cars, which are then given to individuals in need so they can travel to work, daycare or other places.

Cuisine for a Cause started back in 2003 as a humble spaghetti dinner in a church basement. That first event raised $1,500. Last year's gala earned more than $90,000.

"The committee members are so dedicated and proud of this event. It's an absolute joy to work on this event. Every year they step it up another notch," says Garlough.

Tickets for the event are $75, which organizers say is inexpensive by fundraising standards in some Naperville circles. Admission to many other events can cost $100 or more. This event was a sell-out last year, so organizers suggest you buy your tickets in advance by calling Al Dinon at 630.725.6736. For more information on Naperville CARES, go to the group's website, www.napervillecares.org.

According to Garlough, this year's Cuisine for a Cause event, like any great meal, is timed perfectly. "There is a vital need in the community," she says. "The demand is greater than ever. This event generates awareness and funds." And for hundreds of Naperville residents, both those who attend the event and those who benefit from it, Cuisine for a Cause is quite simply—satisfying.