History of An Evening in Tuscany

It All Started With Friends The History of An Evening in Tuscany

In 2006, eight friends gathered to raise funds for YWCA Spokane's emergency safe shelter. They hosted a cooking class with renowned local chef, Gina Lanza. It was a night of good food and wine, with great company.

From there, the event grew. So many requests came in from the group's partners and friends for another dinner. Together, they put together a buffet style dinner, and hosted it on YWCA Spokane's rooftop patio. Gina, the friend group, and the family of our Shelter Manager, Melanie, cooked the entire meal, served the wine, and hosted the event for years.

Their hard work and inspiration for the event kept it growing. It eventually outgrew the patio, and moved to Barrister Winery. After several wonderful years at Barrister, the event grew once again and move to Beacon Hill Events. As this event continues to evolve, so does the location. We are excited at what the future holds for An Evening in Tuscany.

A Need for Respite An Evening in Tuscany's True Purpose

Purpose

For over 20 years, YWCA Spokane's domestic violence safe shelter has provided a place of respite for women and children escaping abuse, while connecting them to resources to heal and find long term stability.

The safe shelter operates at full capacity all year round. Hotel rooms serve as overflow locations for survivors that the shelter can't accommodate, a costly but necessary solution.

Facing a community-wide housing crisis, YWCA Spokane has seen a growing need for shelter and housing services for domestic violence survivors over the past year. The truth is that this growing need is greater than we can meet with our current shelter and staffing capacity.

An Evening in Tuscany was born with the intention of raising critical funds for YWCA Spokane's emergency safe shelter. That true purpose of the event has carried through the years and still remains intact today. It's become more important than ever to support YWCA Spokane's safe shelter and other essential services for survivors of domestic violence.