Broadway by Amar Santana Hosts Fundraiser for Blind Children's Learning Center

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - April 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Award winning chef, Amar Santana and his partners Ahmed Labbate and Rich Cadarette opened their Laguna Beach restaurant – Broadway by Amar Santana – to host a fundraising event to benefit Blind Children’s Learning Center.  Lisa Morrow, Blind Children’s Learning Center board member and Cooking With Vision, a support group dedicated to raising funds for the Center, organized the event.  

“Since 1994 our members have recruited renowned Orange County chefs to donate their time, resources and talent to conduct cooking demonstrations.  Over the years we’ve raised more than $125,000 in support of the Center’s focus to provide specialized education for children with visual impairments," said Claire Burt, Cooking With Vision Founder.  

Before Chef Amar proceeded to captivate the guests with his culinary skills, special guest, Trisha Sullivan, parent of twins attending Blind Children’s Learning Center expressed her gratitude to everyone for their generous support.  Her daughters Makayla and Keilani are students in the Center’s Early Childhood Center onsite preschool program.  

“My daughters were born premature.  Makayla is visually impaired.  At Blind Children’s Learning Center both of my daughters are receiving an exceptional education.  I’m confident they will successfully transition into our local public school and will excel,” said Sullivan.

For more than 30 guests, Chef Amar Santana used his inspiration from the theaters in New York City to create an atmosphere where the food became the main show.  In an open kitchen, that is like a center stage, he masterly prepared a three course meal of grilled asparagus salad, pan roasted Scottish salmon and lemon ricotta fritters to the applauds of an enthusiastic audience.  

“I feel blessed to have my dream to open a restaurant come true and I hope the funds raised from today’s event will help dreams come true for many children with visual impairments,” said Santana.

About Blind Children’s Learning Center

Blind Children’s Learning Center, a non-profit agency, provides services for children with visual impairments.   Founded in 1962 by six blind adults originally called “Services for the Blind Orange County” the focus was on individuals with visual impairments.  The founders quickly discovered the key to helping children with visual impairments was to start working with them at a very early age. Today the agency serves children and their families through the Early Childhood Center (onsite preschool) and Outreach Services with the mission to provide early intervention, education and services for blind, visually impaired or deaf-blind children and their families to empower independence.  For more information please visit www.blindkids.org