Savor hors d’oeuvres and small plates prepared by Root alumni, paired with a selection of festive beverages. Enjoy kitchen tours and interactive cooking demonstrations with alumni chefs, live music by Jacyn Tremblay and more.
Join us as we celebrate Linda Saris, recipient of this year’s Root Community Leadership Award, presented by NSCC President Bill Heineman, and the launch of the inaugural Root Alumni Leadership Award, presented by Manny Mervil, owner & founder of Everybody Gotta Eat.
Hear from trainees and graduates about the impact of our programs, bid on exciting live auction items, and raise your paddle to support the expansion of Root’s mission across Essex County.
Event Committee
Co-Chairs: Kate Dodge, Gillian O’Callaghan
Honorary Co-Chair: Dr. William Heineman, President, North Shore Community College
Host: Anna Rossi
Event Committee: Kennon Anderson, Andrew Baber, Anne Barker, Jami Barry, Gretchen Berg, Liz Cartland, John Casey, Jennifer Eddy, Victoria Esser, Vincent Fennell, Kari Goodwin, Allison Harden, Jireh Ishaazi, Scott Knox, Marisa Kobus, Natalia Laskaris, Annie McClelland, Kellie Neihoff, Beth Payson, Paul Pinto, Ingrid Renzi, Deb Santorini, Carol Schuster, Paul Schuster, Casey Soward, Jacyn Tremblay, Beth Zchau
About Root
Since 2017, Root has built a thriving Culinary Training Program, a growing Alumni Employment Program, a robust catering and events business, and a Community Catering initiative to address the ever-present issue of local food access and support local farms and producers. To date, Root has graduated 259 trainees, created over 50 employment opportunities for Root alumni, and prepared 170,000+ meals for those facing food insecurity. This year, we’re celebrating our new partnership with North Shore Community College, allowing us to amplify our impact across Essex County and deliver more for our mission.
