BLgT USA Food Truck Tour for Equality to Stop in Avon

Pictured: Taryn Miller-Stevens, center, and her parents, Sam Stevens and Cal Miller-Stevens of Avon at the February BLgT campaign announcement; local supporters Darren Sweeney, left, John Balf Morgan, center, and Dan Urlage, right, with Taryn Miller-Stevens and Peter Stolarski in February; Taryn Miller-Stevens and Peter Stolarski gobble up some BLgT sandwiches; the BLgT USA food truck gets ready to go on tour.

Avon native Taryn Miller-Stevens grew up in the food business as part of the family who owns Miller Foods. That’s why it was natural for her to incorporate food in a fundraising campaign she co-founded last year with longtime friend Peter Stolarski, her business partner in GET//OUT, a social enterprise creating fun ways to support LGBT equality.

Their successful fundraising has provided the fuel that’s taking them across all 50 states in a food truck this summer. Called BLgT USA, the tour connects the classic BLT sandwich to LGBT rights. The duo has dubbed a new sandwich — the BLgT — as the first sandwich promoting equality.

BLgT USA is partnering with chefs and LGBT centers across the country. The “g” ingredient is chosen at the chef’s creative discretion – like Gouda or guacamole. Proceeds from the sandwich will go towards local LGBT community center partners.

The tour launched May 23 in Provincetown and following several stops in the Northeast, the food truck will arrive at Miller-Stevens’ home base, Miller Foods, Tuesday, June 2. A BLgT Aperitif will be hosted there from 5 to 8 p.m. with Chef Chris Prosperi of Metro Bis in Simsbury making and donating the BLgT sandwiches. The suggested donation to attend the event, which will benefit The New Haven Pride Center, is $20. Additional sponsors are Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Miller Foods, Inc., home of Oma’s Pride, and the Great Caesar Band of Brooklyn, N.Y., which will provide entertainment.

“At this point in history, with the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality coming in June, we’re using food – a universal language – to bring awareness,” she said. “Growing up in a family business, we brought people together at the table around food. What I was taught was to treat everyone with respect and love.”

Miller-Stevens and Stolarski, both residents of New York City, came to Connecticut Feb. 6 to announce the campaign at a gathering held in Hartford where food – including BLgTs – was donated by Alicia Roncari, owner of Bin 228.

“I support my daughter and I am very proud of her,” Sam Stevens said at the event. “This project is trying to show that people are not alone. We are only on this earth a short period of time and to spend that time hating is sad.”

Local supporter Darren Sweeney noted the importance of the tour going national. “It’s raising awareness about issues people wouldn’t know about,” he said.

National news has focused on marriage equality over the past few years, but there are other LGBT realities that often don’t make the headlines, Taryn Miller-Stevens said.

“In 29 states you can be fired for being LGBT and, despite only 3.5 percent of our population identifying as LGBT, a full 40 percent of all homeless youth identify as LGBT,” she said.

“The statistics about homeless kids are astounding and it is very sad that people are being rejected for who they are,” said Mark Bannon of Simsbury.

Bannon and his wife, Amy, are on the June 2 event’s Host Committee along with the Miller-Stevens family, Capri Frank, John Brighenti, Scott Brackett, Stephanie Molnar and John Balf Morgan.

Miller Foods is located at 308 Arch Road, Avon. For information, call 860-673-3256 or visit http://blgt.getout.io.