SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A downtown Sioux Falls restaurant is hosting a special brunch to help local farmers who lost their crops to the recent flooding.
It’s another morning of prepping vegetables for chef Sanaa Abourezk, but the owner of Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean is also looking forward to a special Sunday brunch.
“Chef McKenzie from Morrie’s Steakhouse and myself will be doing breakfast fundraiser, all the money, 100-percent is going to help small, local farms that got affected by the flood,” Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean owner Sanaa Abourezk said.
Abourezk is no stranger to fundraisers, but the decision to help farm families was an easy one as her father was a farmer.
“For farmers, land is not only their income, it’s their livelihood, it’s their love, their passion, and then to see all of this gone it’s devastating emotionally, physically, and financially,” Abourezk said.
Abourezk says they’ll distribute the money evenly, and currently has three farmers on the list with room to grow.
“We were contacted by chef T.R. from Morrie’s and they work with us and purchase vegetables from us all summer so obviously they know what’s happening out here with the flooding and just wanted to figure out something to do to give back,” Cherry Rock Farms owner Laura Patzer said.
Laura Patzer owns Cherry Rock Farms in Brandon, where the family has spent the past two weeks replanting after losing more than 70-percent of this year’s crops to flooding. She plans to use the money to help pay employees who were hired months ago.
“Give people some opportunities to work and earn the money that they were planning on,” Patzer said.
The Patzers will be at Sanaa’s on Sunday.
“We plan to go and just really show how grateful we are that we’re included in this event,” Patzer said.
Abourezk says the meal will be a combination of Syrian and Persian breakfast items.
“It’s not a South Dakotan breakfast, so it’s a lot of beans, vegetables, fresh herbs, some supplied from local farms and it will be a unique experience, promise,” Abourezk said.
After helping people around the world through past fundraisers, Abourezk says this one hits close to home and hopes to raise $10,000.
“South Dakotans have been more than kind and generous whenever I do fundraising for anybody on the moon, they respond, so now we have to help our neighbors. The way I grew up, if your neighbor’s in good shape, you are in good shape,” Abourezk said.
The healing continues Sunday.
The fundraising brunch, featuring foods from Sanaa’s and Morrie’s Steakhouse, runs from 10:30 until 2:00 Sunday at 8th & Railroad in downtown Sioux Falls.
