Eat So They Can Grows Up!

We asked and you overwhelmingly responded! With events occurring on all 7 continents, Eat So They Can is growing up! It's just the 4th year of our biggest fundraiser and we are amazed at the committment and passion of our hosts to leave the world a better place than when they came into it. I feel so lucky to have a job where I walk into work every single day and hear stories from all around the world of others making a difference in their families, schools, and communities. In fact, it's a bit unfair; you do the hard work and we get to smile and feel good about the world!

With that in mind, we are trying to do our best to help you remain inspired, encouraged and dedicated. We have created an online event gallery to showcase everything from a bloody mary brunch in Antarctica to a paella competition in the U.S!

We brag about our hosts all the time and because (as Eliza so emphatically mentions in this short video) Eat So They Can "Is.Our.Life," we are so amazed that people who have school, career, families, coffee dates, soccer games (or football), etc. have been so willing to go above and beyond to spread awareness, raise funds, and support Eat So They Can! Below is an email we received from one of our Australian ambassadors, Zoe Zapparoli. It's pretty easy to tell why we love our jobs when you read this!

Zoe and Alicia Auctioning off
gorgeous Kenyan art!

"Yesterday went so so well - loved every moment of it. We had a great crowd there -  62 by the end of it. We had a local band (a guy I use to go to school with and his sister) playing live music for the afternoon which created a great atmosphere.

Lunch was YUMMMMY:
Insalata capprese with chilled prawns, foccacia shards and olive tapenade
Crispy skin salmon with waldorf salad & verjuice aioli.
Vanilla pannacotta with a strawberry sorbet
Wine was paired to each of the courses and donated by a company called Red + White (all 48 bottles of it.... :) !!).

We had a small Auction and made something like 2500!! We had 3 sets of paintings that the from the kids at the pipe line community [Kenya IDP camp] painted, a musical package from Silam Craft Link, a jar of biltong that my partner made, a dinner for two at the restaurant that hosted the event (A touch of Salt), Jewellery made by local women in Kenya and $2000 worth of radio advertising (this was a last minute item - the sales manager from the radio was there, loved the day and threw it in right at the end). We made $700 off just that alone.

Zoe, Alicia and a friend Eat So
They Can!

We've been on the radio promoting the event and have just recorded a post event speel that will play over the coming days. We had some first year journalists from James Cook University there too - they are doing up a big write up and distributing that through the uni and they've written an article to be published in the Townsville Bulletin tomorrow. We raised $6948 for the afternoon after costs which was pretty cool considering I didn't think I was going to be able to pull it together at the start of the week :).

More importantly this year than just raising money we are creating heaps of awareness in the community. Through the initial connections I had I have been able to build relationships with organisations that will back us in a campaign that will be bigger and better again next year.

Feedback is that they love the cause. They love how simple it is and how easy it is to get involved. They love Alicia's story and together we are a great team! Alicia's been super busy organising  host dinners. A friend of hers in Cairns had a dinner and raised $800 the other weekend, her mum raised $500 and her partners sister raised another $300....  COOL HEY!! Between these host dinners, the sunday lunch and the money we raised in the lead up to the event I can proudly say that we have cracked the $10,000 mark.Can't wait to be apart of the distribution trip next year.

Your team is an inspiration to us. You've created this global movement and I think I can speak for Alicia as well on this one when I say that I am so incredibly happy to be apart of it. I think Eat So They Can will be a part of me for many years to come. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to give to a greater cause :)"
-Zoe Zapparoli, ESTC Ambassador

Caitie Goddard and the Eat So They Can Team