Food Network Media Correspondent, Stitches ‘n Dishes Rewards $10,000 Sponsorship For Fundraiser
Industry: Events
Two Food Network media correspondents for the interactive TV show, "Eat St have provided $10,000 for an integrated social media campaign for a food truck food festival.
Penn Valley, CA (PRUnderground) June 25th, 2012
Food Network’s popular interactive television show, “Eat St” is known for innovative social TV programming that integrates television, social media, and blogging. The show’s producers utilize media correspondents throughout North America to provide full coverage of the street food revolution as it unfolds, and takes the country by storm.
Food Network’s media correspondents offer more than entertaining and informative blog stories about street foods in North America.
Christopher Ford and Andrew Nicora, Co-Founders at Stitches ‘n Dishes, a popular street food blog in California, are “Eat St” media correspondents, with a focus on food trucks and food stands in California and Social Media Marketing in the mobile foods industry.
Ford and Nicora, with more than 40 years combined experience in the mobile foods and entertainment industry have sponsored the first annual Foods4Thought.org Food Truck Food Festival to be held at the Western Gateway Park in Penn Valley, CA on June 30, 2012.
Stitches ‘n Dishes provided $10,000 for media support in promoting and marketing the event, and have taken active roles on the festival’s Board of Directors.
“We want to assure that Foods4Thought.org is successful in the execution of its first annual food truck food festival. We’ve offered our experience in event organization and promotion, as well as our relationships with food truck and food stand operators as resources for the event’s organizers. We’ve provided assistance in vendor selection, logistics, marketing, advertising and promotion, as well,” said Ford.
Foods4Thought Food Truck Food Festival organizer, Patti Smith secured 16 acres at the Western Gateway Park in Penn Valley, CA to host the event. The event will feature more than 20 street food vendors, offering a variety of gourmet dishes, including traditional and exotic, vegan/vegetarian, international and desserts, as well as a beer and wine garden.
The Food Truck Food Festival will also feature live performances by Saul Rayo, Bob Mora & the Third Degrees, and Then Again, a mechanical bull, rock climbing wall, dunk tank, bounce houses, face painting, balloon twisters, story tellers, VIP services and VIP canopy lounge, a cooling mist pavilion and an air-conditioned cabin.
“We couldn’t have done this without Stitches ‘n Dishes; their help has been invaluable,” said Smith, “and the kids at Nevada Union High School, the Food Bank of Nevada County and Animal Save are extremely grateful. This event will raise funds to save the Agricultural Department at Nevada Union High School, and food for the Food Bank of Nevada County and Animal Save. After severe California budget cuts, the Agricultural Department is in danger of closure. The funds we raise here will help to keep it open another year.”
Proceeds from ticket and amusement sales will be donated to the Nevada Union High School Agricultural Department. Some food truck and food stand operators have pledged to donate up to 15% of their proceeds to the cause, as well.
Farming and agriculture are core economic resources in Nevada County; closure of the high school’s Agricultural Department would be devastating to the future of sustainable farming in Nevada County, Smith claims.
Costs for County health permits, land usage fees, utilities, and amenities for the event have been funded by a private loan, as well as funds and services from Stitches ‘n Dishes and Sierra Nevada. Stitches ‘n Dishes formed an online fundraiser to help reach the organizer’s $25,000 goal. Students of the Nevada Union High School Agricultural Department will operate a popcorn stand and provide volunteer resources during the Food Truck Food Festival.
The organizer will accept donations of any size, and is providing rewards at the $100, $250, $500 and $1,000 levels.
“We’re doing all we can to help preserve a way of life, and the main source of income to an entire county,” said Nicora. “We designed a product line around Food4Thought.org’s mission and ethics; we’ve got something for men and women in every age group. We’re selling ‘Top Street Chef’ shower curtains, so we’re obviously approaching this with a light heart and positive attitude. The offering includes T-shirts, hoodies, tanks, messenger and reusable grocery bags, puzzles and baby clothes, and a lot more. We want people to enjoy their relationship with Foods4Thought.org while supporting a very good cause.”
Tickets can be purchased in advance online at the Foods4Though.org and Stitches ‘n Dishes Facebook pages, or at the event entrance.
Part of the “Eat St” media correspondents’ $10,000 sponsorship will be used to sponsor the first annual “Top Street Chef” competition, in which attendees will vote for the top three street food vendors. The winning food truck or food stand operators will receive cash prizes, followed by drawings for the attendees. Prizes include an Apple iPad 2, Apple iPod Touch, and a Kindle Fire.
About Foods4Thought.org
Foods4Thought.org is a fundraising organization, focused on sustainable food sources and the Farm to Table movement. We support food banks, local agricultural movements and causes, and educational resources that provide for a sustainable future. We organize a large annual food festival fundraiser, benefiting local food banks, high school agricultural programs, community farming and the promotion of sustainable farming and foods.
