Community Spotlight: Morris Bart Is a Proud Sponsor of First to Fight’s “Born To Grill” Team at Hogs for the Cause
Held every spring in New Orleans, Hogs For The Cause is, in our experience and in their own words, “a sweet, savory blend of all the things that are amazing in life: music, an incredible cause, family and friends. Oh, and the most delicious (and often over-the-top!) pork dishes on Earth.” Sounds good, right? If you need even more encouragement to get out to this fantastic event, the Hogs For The Cause site again says it best:
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“bring Your Stretchy Pants and Come Pig Out!”
Nearly a hundred teams of talented cooks and chefs will be at #Hogs (as it’s affectionately been tagged) to grill, smoke and barbecue for the crowds, raise money for pediatric cancer research and compete to win prizes. Morris Bart is a sponsor of Team “Born To Grill,” comprised of volunteers and board members of First To Fight Foundation (some of whom happen to be professional chefs).
We’re proud to support Team “Born To Grill” of the First To Fight Foundation (FTF), a nonprofit that assists combat veterans in adjusting to civilian life.
Founded by combat veterans and professional chefs Eric Cook and Jeff Mattia, FTF fills a void that is experienced by veterans when leaving active duty and entering the civilian world.
FTF supports veterans and their families by providing community and networking events and personal connection and guidance during the transition period and beyond, effectively facilitating a new, yet familiar, sense of community to replace the tight-knit community experience found in the military.
We caught up with FTF board member Mike Sanchez, who’s also a combat veteran as well as a cook on Team “Born To Grill,” to find out more.
Says Sanchez, who served as an army reconnaissance paratrooper, “In the military you’re rarely alone; there’s a buddy system for every experience from boot camp to battle, as well as supportive communities of colleagues and families that surround you, offer constant camaraderie and shared experiences, and literally ‘speak your language.’
When someone leaves active duty, they can feel alone and adrift without this infrastructure. FTF attempts to fill that gap in as many ways as we can, from hosting fun meetups and events to helping individual veterans overcome personal challenges.”
Veterans and Families, don’t Miss Ftf’s Steel Beach Picnic on July 4!
Because FTF’s founding members, Eric Cook and Jeff Mattia, are both talented chefs (Cook is executive chef at Tommy’s Cuisine and NOSH and Mattia is executive chef at the Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans) some of the organization’s most ambitious initiatives involve food – really good food. FTF’s Steel Beach Picnic, held every 4th of July, is a great example: this food- and fun-filled, family-friendly event draws upwards of 300 attendees and counting.
The name references the tradition of occasionally allowing crews to picnic and drink beer on the decks of Navy ships. For more information on the Steel Beach Picnic, check out the FTF site.
The Morris Bart team will be getting a taste of what Team “Born To Grill” has to offer at Hogs X, and we encourage you to get out there, too – and give your support to a couple of worthy causes!
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
