The sustainability team of Fairmont Empress Hotel will host an Empress dining experience for Pacifica Housing’s tenants living at Camas Gardens on June 18, 2015 at 5pm.
Four Fairmont Empress Chefs will prepare the special dinner alongside formerly homeless adults, sharing their knowledge about cooking nutritious food on a budget that participants can easily replicate. Giving it the “Empress-Touch”, dinner will be served on finely decked tables in Camas’ court yard (weather dependent). All of Camas Gardens’ 44 tenants are invited to join the cooking party for the meal.
Camas Gardens, one of Pacifica’s newest supported housing complexes, includes 44 self-contained bachelor and one-bedroom apartments for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness including individuals who may be facing challenges such as mental health or addiction.
“It is wonderful to see an organization such as Fairmont Empress show so much dedication to community involvement. This sends a clear message to the tenants in Pacifica’s Supported Housing that they are valued members of their community and there are people out there who care for them”, declares Mary Ellen Van Dusen, Interim Executive Director at Pacifica Housing.
“We believe balanced nutrition is fundamental to every person’s physical and emotional well being and we are thrilled to be able to share how to prepare healthy food on a budget with tenants living at Camas Gardens,” says Fairmont Empress Executive Sous Chef Michael Pagnacco.
“I hope other local restaurateurs and hoteliers may also extend their expertise in providing further examples of preparing nutritional meals on a budget to the residents at other Pacifica Housing complexes.”
The passion for sustainability is part of Fairmont Empress’ core values. Fairmont balances the company’s economic, environmental and social priorities and provides the framework for responsible hotel operations through the Sustainability Partnership program.
Originally started in 1990, Fairmont was one of the first global hotel companies to embrace a green partnership program. The program has expanded to take a more holistic approach to operational responsibility; the new program provides greater balance around the company’s economic, environmental and social priorities.
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