Celebrating 10 years of serving Dane County
By Amy Lord
The River Food Pantry
Don’t miss a culinary tasting event to benefit The River Food Pantry. Madison Originals and Ale Asylum are teaming up to bring you a one-of-a-kind tasting event this summer. Feed the Need. Sip. Savor. Support. will take place Sunday, June 5, from 3‒6 pm at The East Side Club, 3735 Monona Drive, on the beautiful shores of Lake Monona. Sample a wide variety of local flavors, enjoy live music and take part in raffles, all while supporting a great cause.
The River Food Pantry celebrates 10 years of serving Dane County residents struggling to put food on their tables. With a 10-year celebration for both The River Food Pantry and Ale Asylum, Feed the Need is raising awareness and funds to support residents of Dane County in need of a helping hand.
“Ale Asylum is a proud Northside neighbor of The River Food Pantry and pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate as a product sponsor for their inaugural Feed the Need fundraising event,” Ale Asylum Director of Promotions Hathaway Dilba stated.
The event will feature tasting stations from 17 Madison Original restaurants and three local beverage companies. Holly Tierney-Bedord, Madison Originals ambassador, said partnering with The River is just one way the group can give back to the local community. “All of us in the Madison Originals restaurant group are thrilled to participate in Feed the Need. The River Food Pantry does so much to help people in and around Dane County struggling with hunger, and we’re glad to have a chance to give back.”
Ale Asylum is providing craft beers at a cash bar, along with signature cocktails from Yahara Bay Distillery, J. Henry & Sons Bourbon and Wollersheim Winery, with proceeds benefiting The River. Guests will also enjoy live music provided by the Oak Street Ramblers and the Soggy Prairie Boys. NBC Channel 15’s Charlie Shortino will serve as the event emcee.
Participating vendors include: Banzo, Bonfyre American Grille, Charlie’s on Main, Daisy Café and Cupcakery, Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry, Essen Haus, Harvest Restaurant, Imperial Garden, J. Henry & Sons Bourbon, Liliana’s Restaurant, Manna Café and Bakery, Nitty Gritty, The Old Fashioned, Porta Bella Restaurant, The Roman Candle Pizzeria, Short Stack Eatery, Sprecher’s Pub, The Wonder Bar, Wollersheim Winery, and Yahara Bay with Rokker Vodka.
This event will be indoors and outdoors on the lakeside lawn of beautiful Lake Monona and will be held rain or shine. Tickets are $40 per person and are on sale until June 1. To learn more about Feed the Need and to purchase tickets, visit www.RiverFoodPantry.org.
Partners include Ale Asylum, Madison Originals, InkWorks and Climb United Multimedia Cooperative. Platinum Plate sponsor is Modern Woodmen. Golden Goblet sponsors are Bradley Farms, Boardman & Clack LLP, First Business and TASC. Silver Spoon sponsors are Honkamp Krueger & Co. and State Collection Service Inc.
The River Food Pantry is located in a warehouse on Darwin Road, just off Northport Drive and Packers Avenue, surrounded by low-income neighborhoods and subsidized senior housing — exactly where it’s needed the most. In 2015, The River received 30,605 family visits. The River provides those visiting the pantry with hot meals, groceries, clothing and household items. For more information on The River Food Pantry, visit
www.riverfoodpantry.org.