Taste of Sewickley fundraiser surpasses $1M for KidsVoice

Taste of Sewickley began as a small potluck among friends a decade ago and has grown into a well-known Sewickley fundraiser where dozens of volunteers plan, cook and serve their neighbors a multi-course gourmet meal.

Children are the focus of the annual event that raises money for KidsVoice. The Allegheny County-based nonprofit provides legal advocacy for current and former foster children. KidsVoice assists them as they transition to life after foster care, helping them get health care, education, jobs and housing. They have attorneys who can help expunge delinquency records, giving the youth a fresh start.

The sell-out event surpassed the $1 million total mark on Sept. 6.

Chuck Moser, who co-hosts the event at his Edgeworth home with his wife Barb and friend and fellow KidsVoice board member Greg Kaminski, and his wife Susan, announced that over the past decade, it has raised $1,080,000.

“You’ve got means and you’ve got education and you’ve got opportunity to help your kid or the kid that you care about,” Chuck Moser said. “The children in the foster system don’t have a person standing behind them. KidsVoice is the advocacy group that stands behind those kids. And by you being here tonight, by all the money that you’ve given over the past 10 years, that’s a meaningful thing.”

Moser knows how meaningful it is because, for him, it’s personal.

“My mother was in the foster system from age 2 to 18, and from what I’ve seen, what I can tell you firsthand, is that when people are in a vulnerable situation like that, it doesn’t just affect them,” he said. “It has a ripple effect across generations.”

Greg Kaminski said he was surprised to hear Chuck Moser share his family’s connection to foster care.

“Chuck has always so passionately emphasized the multi-generational effects of a child being raised in foster care and that makes a lot more sense now,” Greg Kaminski said.

Chuck Moser said he waited to reveal his connection to foster care because he never wanted this to be about him.

“This evening makes you believe in humanity and community and valuing the importance of helping these kids who truly need us,” Chuck Moser said.

As guests arrived, they were greeted with a signature drink — a jalapeno margarita dubbed Hot to Trot made with Blanco tequila, fresh-pressed lime, orange liqueur, agave nectar and a subtle infusion of jalapeno heat.

The evening’s menu included favorites from the past 10 years. Executive chef for the event, Jeb Blaugrund, and sous chef Emily Durham curated the meal. For starters, Blaugrund created carnitas taquitos with Tom and Peggy Casillas. Other appetizers included a charcuterie board by Christian Stampfel, a bread board by Mediterra — Gary Schurman, who has attended every event with his wife Carol, except this one, because of illness, usually makes a variety of breads. There was dipping oil and tarragon butter courtesy of Tom Lagnese and homemade goat cheese by Beth Lagnese.

The first course of Thai curry shrimp soup was the recipe of Kirk Fordham and Mike Cevarr. Dunham made the second course of Asian sea bass with snow peas. John Stampfel’s passion fruit sorbet was for intermezzo and the third course of beef tenderloin with farm fresh salad was the work of Durham, Tony Cafarelli and Osman Awad.

John Stampfel said he and his wife, Christian, who were part of the team plating the food in a well-choreographed kitchen, believe in the cause and see how the money is helping children.

“We are grateful to the Sewickley community because they keep coming back,” John Stampfel said. “We love doing it and hearing the stories of success of these children. Their stories are powerful.”

Dessert was Tres leches with peaches by Amber Gregg and a final treat of a chocolate chip cookie by Linda Hines.

There were wine pairings for each course. There was also a beer pairing.

“Through their advocacy, KidsVoice changes the life trajectories for thousands of kids in need,” said Gretchen Connelly, a regular at the event with her husband, Marty. “They make sure that childhood circumstances don’t determine any child’s future potential. Every community benefits from these kids having that chance.”

“This is a very generous group of people,” said KidsVoice executive director Scott Hollander. “In a time of funding uncertainty, this is certainty.”