Imperial Valley Food Bank

This article was originally published by the Imperial Valley Press on October 30, 2022 and can be read here.

BY ELIZABETH MAYORAL CORPUS Staff Writer

IMPERIAL — The formerly Fall Festival of Palate and Palette, a popular fundraiser by Sts. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church in El Centro for 60 years, was revamped by the Imperial Valley Food Bank's as the first edition of the Imperial Valley Food Bank's Palate, Palette & Pallet [IVFB P³] event.

Sara Griffen, executive director of the Imperial Valley Food Bank (IVFB), said the organization spoke with the church's leadership and the Episcopal church agreed to hand the event to the agency.

Sts. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church held its last fall festival in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the Food Bank's website.

"We're excited that we get to continue that really elegant event that has happened in El Centro for 60 years by giving in a new home at the Food Bank," Griffen said.

On Thursday October 27, guests delighted their palates with appetizers and a wine tasting, local art displays, which stood for the "palette," live music by duo Kelly & Lorenzo, and the IVFB included one more word to the event's title:

"We added a third spelling of the word pallet because the art show will be in our warehouse, where we store pallets of food," Griffen said.

"The funds raised will go towards food purchases so we can buy more pallets of food," she said.

Attendees gathered at the IVFB's Imperial Grove to start the new tradition and peruse the 64 art pieces on display by 20 local artists.

"We were so grateful to the community and local artists that were making our first [IVFB P³] such a great success," said Celeste Alvarez, IVFB marketing and public relations strategist.

"We haven't had an event like this and it was great to see a community come together, not only to enjoy some wine, appetizers, and live music, but also to take in the talent that the Imperial Valley has," Alvarez said.

Griffen hopes the P³ event will bring a new audience to the Food Bank.

"We're doing everything we can to bring as much food into the Valley for the people who need it at the least amount of cost possible," she said.

Griffen said the event will help the IVFB to order more food amid the current economic situation, noting factors which make food difficult to find and afford.

"I am happy we can continue with this legacy," Griffen said.