A well-known Fort Lauderdale chef is joining a grassroots effort to replenish the stocks of The Pantry of Broward, a charity that delivers food to the elderly struggling on low, fixed income.
The Pantry, located in downtown Fort Lauderdale, just lost 21,000 pounds of food after its industrial-sized freezers and refrigerators stopped working when Hurricane Irma slammed into South Florida last week.
The non-profit had to discard pound after pound of fruits and vegetables and dairy products, and managed to give away its frozen meats to other food-providing charities.
Now, The Pantry’s stocks are so low its latest delivery to 400-plus elderly residents included only four bottles of water, a couple cans of tuna and a handful of string beans, a far cry from its usual 55-pound packages.
“When I heard about this, I just couldn’t do nothing,” said Lenore Nolan-Ryan, the well-known owner and operator of Lenore Nolan-Ryan Catering and Cooking School. “The Pantry usually ships these big boxes of beautiful vegetables and great meats. It’s so sad a lot of it went to waste.”
Nolan-Ryan is responding with what she does best: Throw a party!
Starting at 5 p.m. Friday evening, Nolan-Ryan will be whipping up dinner and all her fans have to do is pay for the booze they’ll drink until 9 p.m.
“I’ll ask people to donate what they can. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go the Pantry of Broward,” she said.
The Lenore Nolan Ryan Catering & Cooking School, is at 3311 North Ocean Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale.
Pantry CEO Maureen Luna said Nolan-Ryan’s effort is one of several in the community since word of the losses spread.
“The power was out for three days,” Luna said. “I estimated the losses at about $12,000. We sure could use every donation we can get.”
Jose Lambiet, GossipExtra.com, excerpt posted on SouthFloridaReporter.com, Sept. 22, 2017
