Washington, DC – Last week in the spirit of National Chowder Day (February 25th), clam harvester and producer Sea Watch International, Inc. coordinated a nationwide effort donating and serving their signature clam chowder to inner-city soup kitchens. In eight cities along the East and West Coast, Sea Watch provided a total of 50,000 servings of chowder as well as staffed volunteers at each of the participating organizations.
Guy Simmons, Sea Watch International’s Vice President of Marketing & Product Development, volunteered at Washington, D.C.’s So Others Might Eat (SOME) passing out chowder to a lunchtime crowd of three-hundred.
“Clam chowder is a hearty meal that has long been a favorite winter dish,” said Simmons. “For National Chowder Day, we wanted to pay tribute to this cold-weather staple by giving it to those who need it most.”
Guests of SOME enjoyed the warm chowder as a welcomed special asking for second helpings and even to instate the dish as a regular offering.
Sea Watch’s clam chowder features Atlantic Surf Clams which come from one of the most responsibly managed fisheries in the world. To continue robust clam levels, the NFI Clam Committee, of which Sea Watch International is a member, partners with the National Science Foundation to sponsor seafood research through the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCeMFiS). A public-private enterprise, SCeMFiS performs at-sea fishery assessments that assist in making management decisions about stock health and quota limits.
Established more than 20 years ago, the NFI Clam Committee helps ensure sustainability by sponsoring independent research. Members include Bumble Bee Snow’s Doxsee, Galilean Seafood, J H Miles & Company and Sea Watch International.
Organizations participating in National Chowder Day included: City Harvest (New York), Community Food Bank of New Jersey (Atlantic City), Community Food & Outreach Center (Orlando), Food Bank of NWI (Chicago), Rosie's Place (Boston), Salvation Army (San Francisco), Seattle's Union Gospel Mission (Seattle) and SOME (Washington, D.C.) In Seattle, a local bread company joined the National Chowder Day effort donating bread bowls to serve with the chowder.
Source: National Fisheries Institute