In vino veritas: In wine, there is truth, and this weekend in Tucson, in wine there will be nourishment during A Sip for Nourish at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at Feast, 3719 E. Speedway.
“Our annual fundraising event is at Feast and Doug Levy, the owner and chef, has paired together amazing appetizers and wines for us to taste and enjoy as we gather in support of Nourish and the families we serve. We are so appreciative of Feast for partnering with us on this event,” said Marsha Dunn Klein, a member of the board of directors for Nourish.
The nonprofit is aptly named for its mission to provide family and community support for children with feeding challenges. That support ranges from dietitian evaluations and breastfeeding support to direct feeding therapy — including speech and occupational therapy — and specialized feeding equipment and supplies that aren’t covered by health insurance. Nourish also provides parental support, community education and therapist training and mentoring.
Clients include children born prematurely and those with physical and emotional disabilities and delays—the National Institutes of Health estimates up to 80% of children with developmental disabilities struggle with eating — as well as children with special needs and conditions such as autism spectrum disorder. Feeding challenges also impact between 25 and 45 percent of normally developing children.
The prevalence makes the services offered by Nourish more vital than ever, particularly in light of prospective changes to healthcare on the national level, according to Dunn Klein.
“We are very worried that many families will again be struggling to have insurance and struggling with huge insurance deductibles," said Dunn Klein. "A priority for our fundraising centers around paying for feeding therapy services for families who don’t have it for their kids. Imagine if you have a child who can’t eat and you can’t afford feeding therapy support. What would you do?"
She hopes that Tucsonans understand that their generosity can help provide the solutions that many families seek.
Tickets to A Sip for Nourish can be purchased at http://tucne.ws/1tsl and are $100 per person. Go to https://www.nourishaz.org/ to make a donation.
