#Fishstewrescue

Warm up with fish stew and help our neighbors in Eastern North Carolina.

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Restaurants in Asheville are joining the cause to raise money for Eastern North Carolinians recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Matthew. Spearheaded by Kinston, NC, Chef Vivian Howard, the fundraiser aims to raise money through comfort food.

“What if we as restaurateurs and chefs offered our own version of Eastern Carolina’s fish stew – rendered in giving, stewed in storytelling and finished with substance?” Howard implored. “What if we told our guests about Eastern Carolina’s food fundraisers, stew stretched by eggs and my region’s flood. What if we sold that stew as a special for one week…and donated the proceeds to help a community while telling stories that exalt its culture?”

Chef Katie Button received Howard’s email and immediately shared it with Asheville restaurant owners to encourage participation in Asheville.

“I knew it was terrible in North Carolina and that people had died, but because we’re all the way across the state we’re so removed from it,” Button told the Asheville Citizen-Times.  “It’s easy to forget that people are still under water and businesses are still not operating, and it’s going to take a long time for people to rebuild.”

Cúrate line cook and artisit Katrin Dohse created original artwork for the donation envelopes.

Cúrate line cook and artist Katrin Dohse created original artwork for the donation envelopes.

A team effort

Not only restaurants are helping the cause. 11Eleven Creative designed a donation envelope and Advantage Printing donated their services to print them. Guests will use the envelopes to donate additional funds or contribute without ordering fish stew. Donations from the effort go to the Lenoir-Greene United Way.

A Mountain Xpress article quoted local restauranteurs Lynn Foster and Eric Scheffer:

“Our hearts go out to all of the hurricane and flood victims who are still recovering from the brunt of the storm,” says Lynn Foster, owner of Buffalo Nickel. “We thought [the fundraiser] was a great idea, and we’re happy to do whatever we can to help.”

Eric Scheffer, executive chef and owner of Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, says, “If we give to give, never to get, we enrich the lives of others less fortunate. … We owe it to our friends in Eastern North Carolina to do what we can.”

Visit one of these local establishments to contribute: