By Patti Parish-Kaminski, Publisher
The grub guru Ron Brandani with “Brandani’s Restaurant Month” menu. I may or may not have eaten everything on the menu at this point. Don’t judge me – it’s for a great cause!
I am culinarily challenged. That’s the reality of the situation, and I have no desire whatsoever to overcome my limitations in the kitchen. Cooking doesn’t interest me. In fact, I find it mind-numbingly boring. And the clean-up from the chaos is just ridiculous. It’s just not my jam. I have other spiritual gifts, and I choose to focus on them.
I can, and do, however, appreciate those who have the grub gift. I’m all about consuming great cuisine; I just don’t want any part in creating it.
It’s when you pair great food with supporting your community that I really get excited, and I am so proud to share an amazing story about that very thing. For years now, Tim and I have enjoyed Houston Restaurant Weeks traveling into Houston to try amazing restaurants, who for these weeks, donate a portion of their proceeds to the Houston Food Bank. It’s a field trip, but it’s worthwhile, so we have participated for years.
But now for the month of August, we can travel less than a mile from our home to enjoy a brand-new initiative addressing food insecurity right here in Fort Bend. And we can literally walk home if we need to. That’s a bonus.
Ron and Claire Brandani have created “Brandani’s Restaurant Month.” It debuted August 1st, and it’s Fort Bend fabulous! During the entire month of August, they are offering a special three course meal for $49, and for every entrée ordered from this menu, they donate $5 to two local non-profit organizations that help those facing food insecurity – right here in our community.
Mr. Kaminski and I have supported both of the worthwhile organizations the Brandani’s have chosen to support: Lunches of Love and East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry.
In my enthusiasm, I have shared “Brandani’s Restaurant Month” with many friends over the past few days encouraging participation, and one question has been posed multiple times, “Do we really have food insecurity in Fort Bend?” Needless to say, I was gob smacked with the query.
Lunches of Love
I’m going to school you for a moment to provide an in-depth answer to this question. Lunches of Love focuses on children. They provide a free nutritious sack lunch during extended school holidays, weekends and the summer. This is for the kids who receive free or reduced lunches at school, and nearly 87% of Fort Bend schools are Title I where these children participate in the lunch program. So, what happens at lunchtime when these children go home?
Lunches of Love steps up, and they do so in a big way. This summer alone, Lunches of Love has provided over 1,500 lunches daily to food insecure children through 14 distribution sites throughout the county. They distribute at apartment complexes, school sites and via their location in Rosenberg. Children literally walk or ride their bikes to their center for their lunch in the summer months.
In 2003, Lunches of Love provided 200,000 lunches to these children. Now that’s deserves an A+.
East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry
East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry has been serving Fort Bend families in need since 1990. Their mission is to address basic human needs of families facing food insecurity and/or temporary financial crisis in Fort Bend. And during the pandemic, they fed more folks than ever.
They literally have a Food Pantry where people can receive free food staples. They also have a re-sale shop where you can donate household items, and the proceeds support the Food Pantry. Of course, you can donate food and funds to the Food Pantry as well.
Here’s what East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry did in 2023 alone:
- 11,358 families were served through their Food Pantry
- 16,841 children did not go hungry
- 600 children returned to school with supplies, shoes and food for five days
- 770 families were able to celebrate the holidays with a bountiful meal
Another A+ in my book. Yes, porch sitters, food insecurity is an issue in our community. Please remember that the next time you have an opportunity to give, and head out to Brandani’s this month for dinner. Check out the menu at www.brandanis.com. I’ll see you there – on the porch!
Patti Parish-Kaminski
Follow Patti Parish-Kaminski on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OnThePorchWithPatti/ and on Instagram at instagram.com/ontheporchwithpatti/.
