C.R.O.P.S. Farm-to-Fork Fundraiser Raised Over $10,000

By Krystle J. Bailey

It was an evening to remember on Tennessee Avenue, complete with flowing wine, meaningful conversation, and a delectable, locally sourced, four-course meal. On Tuesday, October 26th, C.R.O.P.S., in partnership with Rhythm & Spirits, hosted an intimate Farm-to-Fork dinner featuring vegetables harvested just a few blocks away.

C.R.O.P.S. (Communities Revolutionizing Open Public Spaces) is a 501c3 organization that promotes healthy and connected communities through local community gardens, Farmers’ Markets, education, and advocacy. With gardens throughout Atlantic County, C.R.O.P.S. has been serving South Jersey since 2016.

At Rhythm & Spirits in Atlantic City, executive chef Kevin Cronin incorporates locally harvested fruits and vegetables grown in the C.R.O.P.S. gardens throughout the year. The thoughtfully curated menu for the Farm-to-Fork Fundraiser on Tuesday evening offered guests a unique opportunity to learn about the food that they were eating while feeling inspired by the work that C.R.O.P.S. is doing in the community.

The four-course menu featured bread and butter style, pickled green tomatoes inspired by Chef Charles Soreth. The particular heirloom variety of tomato that was used for this dish is unique, as they are not often found in the grocery store due to their quick shelf life.

Following the tomatoes, guests were served a vibrant green salad with kale, radishes, gooseberries, and arugula, all of which were harvested early Tuesday morning. The butternut squash risotto that followed was a crowd favorite, topped with parmesan cheese and fried shallots from the garden.

The mouth-watering menu culminated with a tomato based, classic Italian-American Puttanesca dish with grilled chicken and sage. Chef Kevin surprised the crowd with a 5th course, cheesecake from Bar 32, located next door to Rhythm & Spirits.

Throughout the evening, attendees were encouraged to generously donate to the C.R.O.P.S fundraising efforts. The organization, led by Paige Vaccaro, provides underserved communities with opportunities to feed themselves locally sourced, sustainable food. The C.R.O.P.S markets accept SNAP benefits and feature seasonal produce up to 10 months out of the year. The commitment to serving the community expands well beyond the garden. C.R.O.P.S. offers paid internships that hire community members living near the gardens, mental health and nutrition education, and healthy food advocacy. The C.R.O.P.S. mission is to facilitate growth by creating new experiences and places that promote healthy and connected communities.

“The concept that we don’t believe in at C.R.O.P.S. is that there are haves and have nots. Everybody has something to gain and they also have something to give. We aim to bridge the gap.” – Paige Vaccaro.

“Coming together” is exactly what happened on Tuesday evening, as 50 guests, from all walks of life, joined in a memorable meal that resulted in over $10,000 raised for the continued expansion of C.R.O.P.S.

For those interested in contributing to the invaluable work that the team at C.R.O.P.S. is doing and helping them to reach their big goal of $150,000, visit https://tinyurl.com/CROPSFallFundraiser.