CLEVELAND - It’s a tradition that goes back over 20 years. The Cleveland Browns hosted their annual taste of the browns event Monday night at first energy stadium, raising money for the Cleveland Food Bank.
“This is just an extraordinary event. It’s a wonderful partnership, there are so many wonderful restauranteurs and beverage purveyors and foodies,” says Kristin Warzocha, the President and CEO of the greater Cleveland food bank.
This is the 21st year for the Taste of the Browns, which brings in food from 25 of the area’s top restaurants and chefs, like four- time event co-chair, Rocco Whalen.
“This is the best food event of the year, hands down,” says Whalen.
Along with the food, auction items and prizes are donated for auction, all of which is to raise money for local families in need.
Whalen says, “We know where these dollars are going, they’re going back to the community. People build cities, cities build communities.”
For every dollar raised or donated to the food back, 4 meals are provided to area families in need. Llast year’s event raised over 300,000 dollars, which allowed the food bank to distribute for more than 1.2 million meals. That’s a number they’d like top this year.
“We got a sell out event tonight. We’re looking to raise more than 325,000 dollars and we think we’re going to set a new record,” says Warzocha.
It’s the perfect timing for the Taste of the Browns event, to wash away the bad taste of yesterday’s loss and do it all for a great cause.
“I wish it was a different outcome yesterday, just like the other 67,000, but we’re here and next week is another week. We flip the page already as a city and we’re on to Tuesday,” says Whalen.
Speaking at the event, co-chair Jarvis Landry agreed with Whalen by saying, “There won’t be too many days like yesterday, I just wanted to get that out there.”
