Communities United, Inc. Announces 6th Annual Fall Gala

Lexington, Mass. (October 6, 2021) – Communities United, Inc. (CUI) – whose mission is to provide high-quality education and family services throughout eleven MetroWest cities and towns, while striving to ensure the success of children, empower the family and strengthen the community – announces its 6th annual fall gala, Flavors Without Borders, on Thursday, October 14, 2021.

Food insecurity is a common challenge for many families within the Communities United, Inc. realm, but the impact it had this year was significantly different. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity in Massachusetts increased 55% from 2019 to 2020, and rates were highest among adults with children. 42% of households with children experienced food insecurity during the pandemic. In order for CUI to support the children and families they serve struggling with food insecurity, they quickly mobilized a monthly food distribution program funded by their generous sponsors and donors. As a result, Communities United, Inc. delivered over 1,500 meals since October 2020.

Flavors Without Borders will feature prominent chefs Irene Li of Mei Mei, Dave Becker of Sweet Basil, Daniela DeSouza of Danny’s Cheese Bread, Douglass Williams of MIDA and Pedro Alarcon of Peka leading event participants through cooking demonstrations as they follow along at home. The event will be hosted by Billy Costa, co-host of Kiss 108’s Matty in the Morning, NESN’s Dining Playbook and WGBH’s High School Quiz Show.

“Nourishing bodies and minds has never been more important for us here at CUI, as food insecurity in Massachusetts increased from 9% to over 17% since the pandemic started,” said Terri Natale, executive director at Communities United, Inc. “Our Flavors Without Borders event will hopefully generate some additional revenue to keep our program going, provide more meals for our children and families, and give our guests an interesting, engaging and educational culinary experience from chefs we know and love throughout the process.”

Communities United, Inc. provides educational programs and family services to families within the local community. The team is made up of 80 employees including teachers, social workers and administrators. Regardless of economic backgrounds, CUI offers a breadth of services that are geared towards early childhood development. They focus on children four months to five years of age by providing interactive programs that encourage participation from the children.

In addition to helping children learn and develop through educational programs, CUI aims to assist their social development and sense of empowerment as well. With the services social workers provide, families are able to learn how to cope with changes in their child’s development. These affordable, hands-on programs are accessible to anyone within the communities CUI serves.

For more information on CUI and its 6th annual gala, Flavors Without Borders, please visit www.communitiesunitedinc.org and www.facebook.com/cui1970.

About Communities United, Inc.

Communities United, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization whose goal is to give preschool children and families an opportunity to experience growth by providing an environment that encourages participation and interaction in a full range of developmentally appropriate activities. While CUI serves children from the full socio-economic spectrum, the organization’s focus is on identifying the most at-risk families and ensuring that their needs are met. CUI actively serves families living in the communities of Arlington, Belmont, Brookline, Burlington, Lexington, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley and Woburn, MA.

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