Creative Midcoast chefs helped collect $24,000 for Maine’s domestic abuse survivors from the Finding Our Voices “Into the Light!” Foodie Fiesta, according to a Finding Our Voices press release.
 
The fundraiser featured 37 restaurants, food trucks, bakeries, and ice cream shops creating a yellow food and/or drink item for their July menus and donating part of the proceeds to Finding Our Voices. The money went to the group’s Get Out Stay Out Fund for women fleeing domestic violence, according to CEO and founder of Finding Our Voices, Patrisha McLean.
 
“The funds raised from the summer event are bringing safety, freedom, and comfort to women and children during the winter holidays,” said McLean.

Direct disbursements around Thanksgiving include a new door ahead of the release from prison of a woman’s ex who destroyed the old door, food and gas gift cards, apartment rent to forestall eviction, four-night motel stay, and storage unit and U-Haul truck fees to rescue personal belongings including children’s photos and health records. The holidays are often the most dangerous time of the year for those trapped with angry and controlling family members, according to McLean.

“To everyone who created and ordered yellow food and drink for us in July, and to every business and individual who sponsored this event, know that you are making the holidays brighter for women and children across Maine,” she said.
 
“Into the Light!” sales contributing to the $24,000 that was raised through this event include 250 slices of Limoncello cake from Nautilus Seafood & Grill in Belfast, 325 Ease the Pain pineapple cocktails from Blue Barren in Camden, 57 Lemon Poppyseed Conchas with lemon curd and marshmallow meringue from Hey Sailor In Searsport, 46 lemon tiramisu’s from Dot’s Market in Lincolnville, and $1,500 worth of Velvet Corn and Squash Soup with a stirrer slice of fried avocado from Primo in Rockland.
 
Kate Miller of The Landings Restaurant in Rockland and Therese Inman of Freya’s Ice Cream in Rockport both reported in July that their “Into the Light!” offerings of, respectively, Loud Lady Lemon Dessert and hand-mixed lemon mascarpone custard with butterfly blueberry swirl, were “flying off the shelves.” 
 
Julie Crane created the oil painting of a lemon slice that is the event's logo. Business and individual sponsors contributing $10,500 toward the earnings from the event were Lucinda Watson, Sue Michlovitz, Skip Klein and Judy Sandler, Cig Harvey, Borden Cottage, Dirigo Law Group, Viking Lumber, Mathews Brothers, Stanley Chevrolet, Wander Women Tours, Cold Mountain Builders, and Rayr Wine. 
 
Participating eateries included Aster & Rose, Atlantic Baking, La Bella Vita, Bleecker & Greer, Blue Barren, Brazen Baking, Causeway at the Craignair Inn, Darby’s, Dark Harbor Shop, Delvino’s, Dot’s, Fatroll, Fresh & Co., Freya’s, Front Street Pub, Hartstone Inn, Hey Sailor!, In Good Company, The Landings, Laugh Loud Smile Big, Long Grain, Must Be Nice Lobster, Nautilus, Nina June, North Beacon Oyster, The Only Doughnut, Primo, Rio’s, Rose Cottage Bakery, Sea Dog Brewing, Station 118, Stone Fox Farm Creamery, StreetFood330, wolfpeach, and The View. 
 
The reason for yellow being the color of Finding Our Voices, according to McLean, is: “We are survivors who have managed to cross over into the light of safety and freedom, and we are shining a light for our sisters who are still trapped.”

She added that the first step to solving any problem is to shine a light on it and with domestic abuse in Maine being such a big problem “we are here to shine a very big light” for the general public as well.  
 
Finding Our Voices plans to bring back an expanded version of the “Into the Light!” Foodie Fiesta in July of 2024.  

 
Finding Our Voices is survivors mitigating the financial abuse, stigma, and isolation that keep Maine women and children trapped in domestic abuse, through such programs as survivor-powered public awareness campaigns including in schools, financial assistance, pro bono dental care, healing retreats, and online support groups. For more information or to make a donation visit FindingOurVoices.net or email McLean directly at hello@findingourvoices.net.