Gourmet dining fundraiser to help Tucson’s Primavera Foundation

The long-standing tradition, which has funneled more than $3 million into the Primavera Foundation, seeks to raise at least $215,000 with upcoming wine-paired gourmet dinners at independent local restaurants.

“One of the most important things Primavera Cooks! does is truly nourish the souls of our neighbors in need. People who come to the dinners make a remarkable difference in the lives of others by strengthening their foundations for the future. They are helping to provide opportunities, hope and strength so participants in our programs can contribute back to the community in productive and sustainable ways,” said JoAnn Salazar, Chief Philanthropy Officer for the Primavera Foundation.

Primavera is dedicated to moving participants experiencing poverty into safe and stable positions in which they are not just surviving, but thriving.

It accomplishes that mission by providing safe, affordable housing; workforce development; and neighborhood revitalization. Diverse programs and services include an emergency shelter for men who are working or seeking employment, as well as two drop-in centers for those in need of emergency services, including the Primavera Foundation Resource Center. Opened in September 2021, the 11,000-square-foot facility offers the city’s only mail and phone message systems for those without a home address. To facilitate workforce development, Primavera Works offers a social enterprise that provides employment opportunities for individuals seeking to re-enter the workforce.

Additionally, Primavera provides affordable rental housing communities along with resources on eviction prevention and rapid rehousing programs. A homeownership program for first-time homeowners offers assistance with down payments, credit repair and financial empowerment training.

“So many people are still struggling with lay-offs and job losses after COVID and many landlords are doubling rents, which results in people being evicted because they can’t afford it. There is not enough safe, affordable housing in our community. In addition to helping people move out of homelessness, we try to keep people housed through eviction prevention. We must prevent the population of homeless from becoming even larger,” said Salazar.

Primavera Cooks! offers the opportunity to enjoy a multi-course dinner specially planned by some of Tucson’s finest chefs while supporting Primavera efforts, according to Dee Dee McCabe, who has been an Apprentice Chef for the event for the past 16 years. Though she initially became involved because of her love of cooking, the power of Primavera became apparent when a friend’s son needed assistance with housing and employment.

“People might be surprised when someone they know needs services. I work in an affluent area and in my circle you don’t often see homeless people, but sometimes someone gets down on their luck. When that happened to a friend in 2012, suddenly Primavera was there to help. I could see where the money goes and and how important Primavera is in the community,” said McCabe.

A local realtor with HomeSmart Advantage Group, McCabe gifts Primavera Cooks! dinner reservations each year as thanks to clients for their business. She encourages others to consider doing the same.

“My clients absolutely love the food. The Apprentice Chefs meet with the chef at each restaurant and everyone thinks outside the box to create and prepare a very special multi-course menu. We have so much fun cooking the dinner and it is worth every penny. It is really the highlight of my summer,” said McCabe, who will apprentice this year at Zio Peppe.

She is hard-pressed to choose a favorite among the many restaurants where she has apprenticed and enjoyed opportunities to work with state-of-the-art kitchen equipment, learning everything from knife skills to the creation of sauces.

Salazar credits the chefs and restaurants for their generosity in making Primavera Cooks! a reality each year.

“We have to express our incredibly deep gratitude to restaurant partners for emphatically saying ‘Yes!’ to the event in the midst of a landscape that has been incredibly challenging to their own survival over the last few years. We encourage people to support them because of all they do to give back in our community,” said Salazar.

Ultimately, the fundraiser is about more than just fabulous food, according to Salazar.

“I like to say that, ‘Every nickel makes a ripple.’ People may not realize that when they support Primavera Cooks!, they have helped to change someone’s whole life. You can never underestimate the power of people coming together to make the world a better place,” said Salazar.