open house

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Easy Entertaining Inc. Releases 2015 ‘Holiday Cheer’ Catering Menus!

Cranberry Pinot Noir Meatballs, photo via Easy Entertaining Inc.

If you’re looking to fully cater or supplement your holiday gatherings this year look no further than Easy Entertaining Inc. This homegrown, farm-to-fork catering company has been successfully preserving the local flavors of Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts for the past nine years and has just released their 2015 “Holiday Cheer” catering menus!

The hustle and bustle of the holidays has already arrived and if you’re finding yourself short of time to put together an office luncheon, cocktail party with friends, or dinner with those you hold dear then it’s time to reach out to Easy Entertaining to assist!

“The holidays are meant to be about friends and family and tradition leads us to gather around a meal. Our Holiday Cheer menus can cater to any occasion so leave the food to the professionals and put more energy into gathering your friends and loved ones for a celebration to be remembered.” states Kaitlyn Roberts, Proprietor and Executive Chef of Easy Entertaining Inc.

These creators of all things elegant and delicious were voted the Best of Rhode Island “Private Party Pros” by Rhode Island Monthly magazine and in choosing them to cater your holiday soiree you’ll learn why. Attention to detail and superior service are two things Easy Entertaining Inc. has been noted for, not to mention their delectable locavore fare.

Enjoy your cocktail party with the most professional service staff passing around Cranberry Cheddar Tartlets, bite sized Chicken ’n Waffles with a sriracha & honey glaze, or New England Style Calamari Cones. If you’re just looking to supplement your soiree with a few platters to pick up, Easy Entertaining’s Holiday Cheer menu has your back with bites such as Winter Squash and Bean Falafels, their signature Cranberry Pinot Noir Meatballs, Homemade Mozzarella Balls, and much more.

If you’re looking for more of a “take and bake” service then Easy Entertaining has you covered, too! This year they’re offering Holiday Gathering Packages designed for cocktail soirees, holiday dinners, office get togethers, and more! These packages are available for pick up or delivery throughout the entire holiday season and come with reheating instructions to make you look like a pro at this year’s holiday table.

Take a look at Easy Entertaining’s entire holiday offering and online ordering system for their Holiday Gathering Packages on their website at www.EasyEntertainingRI.com. Pick-up orders and corporate catering must be placed a minimum of 48 hours in advance. If you’re hosting an event and would like some help, check your date’s availability and call Lead Event Coordinator Vanessa LaPorte at (401) 437-6090 or e-mail her at vanessa@EasyEntertainingRI.com.

For more information about Easy Entertaining please call Nik Delfino at (401) 437-6090 or e-mail him at nik@EasyEntertainingRI.com.

RI Food Bank Hosts Open House on Saturday, December 12

Free event encourages food donations and merriment while supporting the work of the Food Bank.

On Saturday, December 12 from 9 am to 12 pm, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank will be open to the public for the annual Holiday Food Drive Open House. Guests will be invited to take tours and enjoy holiday music and cheer at the Food Bank located at 200 Niantic Avenue in Providence.

The family-friendly event is free and no registration is required. Donations of non-perishable food are requested to help the Food Bank stock its shelves for the winter ahead. Most needed items include: canned tuna, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, dried or canned beans, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, healthy breakfast cereal, and canned soups, stews or chili.

“The Open House is a great opportunity for folks to visit the Food Bank to see the scope of our work,” said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “We welcome everyone to take a tour, enjoy some music and refreshments, and donate a non-perishable food item to support our neighbors in need of food assistance.”

The First Gentleman, Andy Moffit, is this year’s Event Chair and the First Family is scheduled to attend from 9:15 to 10:15 am. Music will be provided by the a cappella group, “Voices of Christmas,” Rhode Island teen singer/songwriter Emeline Easton and the Wheeler Jazz Ensemble.

Currently, the Food Bank serves 60,000 Rhode Islanders each month through its network of member agencies. One in three served is a child under the age of 18. One in five is a senior 60 years of age or older. Last year, the Food Bank distributed nearly 9.7 million pounds of food to ensure that no Rhode Islander goes hungry.

For more information, visit: www.rifoodbank.org/events

Holiday Giving Tradition Continues at RWU

A Winning Annual Turkey Basket at Roger Williams University

To kick off the holiday season on campus, the Feinstein Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement presents two beloved RWU traditions to give back to the community: the annual Turkey Basket Competition and the Giving Tree.

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The Giving Tree program sponsors five families in need from the Colt-Andrews Elementary School in Bristol. The tree will be set up in the Upper Commons beginning Nov. 11, adorned with tags outlining requested gifts that participants claim and are responsible for purchasing and delivering to campus.

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More than 40 complete thanksgiving dinners were delivered to the East Bay Food Pantry today as part of the RWU Annual Turkey Baskets competition. Teams of students, faculty and staff competed in the Turkey Basket Competition to creatively put together a Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings to benefit Bristol and Warren families.

“It’s important to give to others, especially during the holidays when many families struggle,” says KC Ferrara, director of the Feinstein Center. “To work at RWU and go to school here is a great privilege, and so to give back is our responsibility.”