A special message from Abby...

Friends, Partners, and Community, It was almost 10 years ago to the day that Doron called me to invite me to partner with him in creating a youth empowerment and farming program. When I agreed to help, I had no idea that the creation of FoodWhat would so deeply define and feed me through the next decade of my life. As I reflect back on the last 10 years, I consider myself one of the luckiest people to have been so intimately involved with FoodWhat's birth and growth and the lives of so many inspiring, powerful people, particularly youth. My work with FoodWhat has been deeply life-changing and a huge source of my inspiration. I learned more about myself and gained more than I ever dreamed possible. I am profoundly grateful to Doron, to each of the FoodWhat youth, and to the FoodWhat staff who, on a daily basis, have been my greatest teachers and reflections, have challenged me, made me laugh, made me cry, touched my heart, been the reason I get out of bed in the mornings, and have become my family. I am humbled by the truly exceptional people, like you, who are part of the FoodWhat community. You have helped advise, build, and so graciously contribute to make FoodWhat what it is today. Without you, FoodWhat would not have the reach and profound impacts it's had on the lives of so many young people. Your support, as part of FoodWhat's community, gives me the confidence in knowing that the work of FoodWhat will continue to grow and thrive. In a few weeks I will be moving to the Bay Area to begin the next chapter of my personal and professional journey. While November 11th will be my last day with FoodWhat, I plan to stay connected with events and other opportunities that arise. I am very excited about the trajectory of FoodWhat as an organization. I believe very strongly in the power of FoodWhat's work, its profound impact on people, the community, and the planet. I look forward to continuing to offer support in ways that I can. Thank you for all your trust, love, encouragement, and for believing in me. It has been an honor to do this work. With deep gratitude, humility, and love, Abby Abby Bell FoodWhat Co-Founder, Youth Programs, Food and Farm Manager

"Faces of FoodWhat" Event First Friday November 4th -- Don't miss it!

"Food, What?!" First Friday Party Downtown November 4th from 5-10pm!

Come join us for a very unique First Friday next week for an evening benefiting FoodWhat. Enjoy youth-crafted, farm-fresh food, incredible photography of youth from their farm experience this past year, and music by Marty O'Reilly, all wrapped up in a wine release party for the new Ser Winery Ventana Surfboard Syrah at the Santa Cruz Food Lounge! The centerpiece of this fabulous evening of food, wine and music will be portraits of FoodWhat youth with an interesting twist. There will be 17 large format and bold prints for sale which will benefit FoodWhat and each portrait will then be given to the young person in the photo! David Dennis has been generously organizing this show and all his time and portrait sales will be matched 100% by Microsoft, his employer! Free Admission + Fantastic Raffle (Patagonia Gear, Santa Cruz Warriors Tickets, Dinners at Bantam and Oswald, Instructed Climbing Trip, MAH Family Membership, Boardwalk Passes, Gift Certs to Local Coffee Shops, and more!) This is a MUST attend First Friday event that's going to be super fun. Great food, wine, people, music, and all proceeds go to directly to FoodWhat! Event info is at http://ventana.surf/foodwhat. Food Lounge 1001 Center St. in Downtown Santa Cruz (map below) from 5:00 - 10:00 pm

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