WESTPORT, CT – The Westport Young Women's League (WYWL) is pleased to announce that it will be hosting its Grants Awards Luncheon featuring celebrity chef and guest speaker Lidia Bastianich. The fundraiser luncheon will be held on April 29 from 11:30 am – 2:30pm at the beautiful Branson Hall at Christ & Holy Trinity Church, 75 Church Lane, Westport, CT. Cuisinart®, the popular home cookware and countertop kitchen appliance division of Conair LLC based in Stamford, Connecticut, is the official sponsor of the luncheon.
Bastianich is an Emmy award-winning public television host, best-selling cookbook author, successful restaurateur and the owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. She has published numerous cookbooks in addition to hosting her Emmy-winning television series Lidia’s Kitchen, Lidia’s Italy in America, and Lidia’s Italy. Among the numerous awards and accolades, Lidia has earned seven James Beard Awards and two Emmy Awards. In 2022, Lidia received the Silver Award from APT for 25 years on Public Television.
Bastianich expressed her enthusiasm about the Luncheon stating, “It is my pleasure to join The Westport Young Woman’s League for their Grants Lunch gala. I recall being a young immigrant to the United States and how our caring neighbors and local organizations gave my family support and advice while starting our new life. I know firsthand the impact of such generosity and the power of community in cultivating a successful future. It is my pleasure to be part of such a wonderful cause!
The luncheon event is a new fundraiser of the WYWL, a nonprofit philanthropic organization based in Westport, CT since 1956 that also hosts the popular Minute Man Road Race and CraftWestport, its longstanding Westport-based fundraisers that support their community grants program.
“Each year, the WYWL grants program awards money to the most deserving nonprofits in lower Fairfield County who demonstrate a worthy project or need that aligns with one of three categories we support, namely: providing good health and well-being to the community, providing quality educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth and supporting underserved women with little to no means,” said Julianne Bochinski, Grants Director for the WYWL and also Chief Trademark Counsel for Conair, LLC.
“The luncheon promises to be a special curated culinary experience featuring select recipes from Lidia Bastianich herself. Guests will enjoy what we are calling ‘an elegant rustic lunch in Tuscany - Westport-style’ as we raise our glasses to celebrate the work of our wonderful 2024 Grants Award recipients,” Bochinski continued.
“Cuisinart is thrilled to sponsor this wonderful cuisine-centric fundraiser that will bring the community together to support a cause that benefits some truly worthwhile local nonprofits right here in lower Fairfield County,” said Shawn Killeen, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cuisinart® Electrics. To learn more about Cuisinart’s full product offerings, please visit: www.cuisinart.com and follow @cuisinart on Instagram.
Since the inception of The Westport Young Woman’s League they have provided grants totaling close to $5 million to nonprofits in lower Fairfield County, Connecticut, with over half that amount distributed in the past decade alone. Net ticket sale proceeds from “Lunch with Lidia” - the WYWL Grants Awards Luncheon event sponsored by Cuisinart® - will go directly into the WYWL community grants program to be awarded to future grant award winners. The 2024 WYWL Grant Award winners are: A Better Chance Westport, Caroline House, McGivney Community Center, CLASP Homes, Circle of Care, Club 203, Circle of Friends, the Levitt Pavilion and the Westport Farmer’s Market.
VIP Tickets are available for purchase at $300 each and General Admission Tickets are $175 each. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.wywl.com or visit: http://bit.ly/WYWLLidiaBastianich