Las Vegas charity Dinner on Us feeds homeless international fare.

Las Vegans Giovanna Roccosta Nezhati, Hanna Carson and their friends share the traditional native dishes of their homelands to promote cultural diversity and tolerance through community outreach.
By: Sarah Lee Marks
 
Nov. 4, 2011 - PRLog -- LAS VEGAS, NV--   Giovanna Raccosta Nezhati often thought of handing money to the homeless begging on the corner of Las Vegas Strip but wondered if the effort would go toward food or drink.  Pondering how she could make a difference in the community she now calls home, the idea for Dinner on Us came in a dream.

With limited resources but a huge heart, Giovanna considered her love for cooking a pathway to service.  The native Sicilian is well-known for her magnificent oil portraits, but few outside her family and friends knew of her abilities in the kitchen. Gathering her treasured family recipes in one hand and phonebook in the other, she called her best friend Hanna Carson and together they rallied all their kitchen-loving girlfriends together to announce her idea.

“I wanted to find a way to bring all our positive energy together for the good of our community, and use our talents in the process,” Nezhati explained.  “Great food feeds the soul and by creating a wonderful dinner centered on the theme of a country, the traditional dishes of our heritage speak of our diversity and unity in wanting to help those less fortunate. The first time we did this with my Italian menu, the guests of the Mission told us they had never tasted these things before. They were very grateful, but we felt our hearts open with joy at being able to do something different.”

This Saturday, November 5th, from 10:30 to 5:00pm, Giovanna, Hanna and their tribe of cooking ambassadors will create a Persian/Middle Eastern dinner, replete with time-honored holiday fare common to the Muslim feast of Eidul Adha, a holiday known for its pilgrimage to Mecca, consummated with a community feast.  

The Las Vegas Rescue Mission provides shelter, resources and meals to area homeless, including 150 residents of the facility. The attendees include adults, children, those who have lost their jobs, homes, and ended up on the street and those being rehabilitated from drugs and alcohol.

“We expect to feed over 400, and hope to do this once a month. Local companies, restaurants and individuals have pitched in with donations of food, money and supplies,” Carson continues, “We do not take anything from the Mission’s pantry, the majority of the ingredients we purchase ourselves.”

Thanks to word-of-mouth, the support is growing. Scout troops decorate the hall, and those who are not cooking have offered their own talents.  Far from her usual stage among world-famous musical legends, Yamaha string impresario, Nina DiGregorio of Bella Electric Strings will be accompanied by guitarist Michael Johnson as the two provide the musical ambience to dining hall not known for such luxury.

Giovanna, Hanna and the other kitchen angels behind the Dinner on Us (http://www.facebook.com/dinneronus) project, hope to see the concept take root beyond Las Vegas borders.  “Everyone has a talent. For us it’s all about doing what we love, sharing it with others and bringing the world’s cultures, similarities and differences through the palate,” Nezhati says with a smile.

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Press and Media Contacts:

Giovanna Raccosta Nezhati  
702-339-9398
gioracc@gmail.com

Hanna Carson
hannacarson@gmail.com

John Fogal, Director of Development
702-306-3242
Las Vegas Rescue Mission  
john@vegasrescue.org

Facebook: DINNERONUS

# # #

Dinner on Us is a not-for-profit group working to provide home-cooked meals to the Las Vegas homeless while promoting cultural diversity and tolerance. Those interested in making a donation of food, supplies, funding or to volunteer, should contact Giovanna or Hanna through the facebook page: DinneronUs.
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Source:Sarah Lee Marks
Email:***@gmail.com Email Verified
Zip:89117
Tags:Las Vegas, Rescue, Mission, Homeless, Feed, Food, Nezhati, Giovanna, Housewives, Charity
Industry:Non-profit
Location:Las Vegas - Nevada - United States
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