This holiday season, Social Studies is partnering with FEED—an impact-driven brand on a mission to end childhood hunger—to help you to gather around the table for a cause.
If you're wondering how, or looking for some inspo, read on as FEED founder Lauren Bush Lauren takes us behind the scenes of her recent FEED Supper, sharing her tips and tricks for partying with panache and a purpose along the way.
What inspired you to host this FEED Supper?
I hosted a Friendsgiving FEED Supper last month to raise funds to help feed families in America who are in need this holiday season. It was also a great excuse to gather some neighborhood friends for a fun girls night in.
In wanting to host this FEED Supper, I first recruited my friend Nicole Berrie, who is an awesome local vegan chef and founder of Bonberi. Together we put together the guest list and invited some of our favorite people—she was in charge of all the food, and I hosted it at my home, setting the table with our lovely FEED x Social Studies FEED Supper kit.
Who was in attendance and was the vibe like?
My co-host Nicole Berrie and I we were joined by Ariane Goldman (Founder and CEO of Hatch), Nadine Abramcyk (Founder of Tenoverten), Deshi Singh (Founder of My Apricot), Jenny Mollen Biggs (actress and author), Jessica Wilpon Kamel (Founder of Ronan Lev), and Megan Drimal (fellow FEEDer).
Such an inspiring group of women. There was no dress code, so some ladies came in dresses and others in jeans and sweaters. Just a casual dinner at home with 70s rock music playing in the background!
Did you incorporate any favorite traditions into the evening, or were any new ones started?
We did start the dinner with a toast where I welcomed our guests and also shared the mission behind FEED Supper. The fun reveal comes when you ask guests to lift their plates to reveal the number of meals we helped provide—11,500!—through Feeding America, written on the paper FEED Supper placemats. It always elicits oohs and ahs. The rest of the dinner was simply catching up, enjoying delicious plant-based food (Ed. Note: Full menu and a recipe below!), and enjoying being together.
How does one host their own FEED Supper?
It is simple to host your own FEED Supper because you can really do it however you want—from delivery pizzas at home with friends to a formal sit-down dinner. First you create a quick and easy fundraising page on our FEED Supper site and set a goal. Then invite your friends and include the link so they can make a contribution (truly, a little goes a long way!), set your table and enjoy! The FEED Supper motto is, “We believe that food brings us together; and together we can bring food to many”. So by hosting a FEED Supper with friends you are able to gather with your favorite people and truly share a meal, by helping your neighbors in need in a meaningful and tangible way.
