Our fifth Provision was Sunday, February 19. Many, many thanks to all the folks who came out and helped – by proposing, volunteering, voting, by eating – and also to the entire Provision community for supporting us for the past year! Yes!
February stats:
NUMBERS: Food
We fed 130 or so people, including volunteers.
NUMBERS: Money
We spent about $500 on the meal and other event-related items. As always, we sought out donations for food and other items, and are proud to say that we have now broken even on set-up costs! As such, we will be able to award larger grants in the future.
We collected $693.17 via PayPal (RSVPs), an additional $500 at the door/for cash reservations, and $339 for a la carte beverages.
We awarded $600 to Eating with the Ecosystem (see proposal info in the menu below).
We used the balance of the door and beverage monies to cover the event costs and chip away at our initial start-up costs (which, as stated above, are finally recovered!).
VOTING PROCESS
Voting was based on a tiered system: Diners nominated their first, second, and third choice proposals. First place = 3 points, second place = 2 points, third place = 1 point. Most overall points received the Provision grant (and a bouquet of flowers).
MENU/PROPOSALS
Download February’s menu here! Proposals are within. Please note this updated special thanks list:
Backstage/waiter/clean up folks John Demetrick, Simcha Davis, Lena Sawyer, James Sawyer, Roger, Cael Thompson, Jayme Mallindine, Katie Miller, Adj Marshall, Mollie Hosmer-Dillard, Carolyn Gennari, Rebecca Noon, and Walker Mettling; additional set up helpers Caitlin Cali, Jed Hancock-Brainerd, John Demetrick, Lindsey Beal, Dyan Dealy, and Mari Robles; menu-maker Julia Gualtieri; cooks Fay Strongin and Tess and Laura Brown-Lavoie of Sidewalk Farms CSA (sourdough bread), Ian Cozzens (honey whole wheat bread), James Sawyer and family (Tofu Curry), Cristina DiChiera (sugar cookies), and Chris Mulligan (munken and petit fours). Also thanks to Dylan and Noah Block-Harley for the perfect music; to New Urban Arts for the beautiful space and to Julia Gualtieri, Caitlin Cali, and Noel Puello for representing NUA throughout the weekend; to Simcha Davis from AS220 Youth for our beautiful logo; and to Lena Sawyer and Gianna Rodriguez at AS220 Youth for our incredible posters.
OTHER DETAILS
At the September 2011 Provision, past grantee Miguel Rosario presented an update of his photography work. February 2012′s dinner guests and volunteers heard from past grantees local grocery Fertile Underground and theatre-makers Strange Attractor. Both presenters spoke eloquently about how Provision support enabled them to see their projects through, because of grant funds but moreover because of the votes of confidence they received from the Provision community. As Michael said, “Once we got the Provision grant, not only were we able to open a bank account with the funds, but my friend looked at me and said, ‘Now you have to do this. You have to open the store. You can’t not do it.’” As always, all proposers regardless of receiving grant funds made valuable connections at the event – for example, this month, Val Khislavsky may have acquired a much-needed chest freezer for her project from a Provision attendee!
We are, as always, seeking feedback from dinner guests and proposers about their experiences at Provision. If you have thoughts, or would like to volunteer at a future Provision, don’t hesitate to contact us at providenceprovision [at] gmail [dot] com.
And finally, see photos from February 19 here:
