On Oct. 17, Jordan Salcito, the founder and CEO of the organic canned wine brand RAMONA, and Branden McRill, the restaurateur behind Fine–Drawn Hospitality, are teaming up to host a voter registration drive and boozy bake sale to benefit Vote.org.
The event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at Sunset Social at Cira Green—a rooftop venue that offers guests both stellar views of the Schuylkill River and plenty of space to enjoy their cocktails and baked goods in a socially distanced fashion. Aside from copious food and drink options, attendees will also find several resources to help them ensure that their vote will be counted in the upcoming presidential election.
“I remember as a voter in college, volunteers made voting an utterly seamless, easy, and desirable experience for us,” Salcito wrote in an email statement to Street, “Our goal is to make sure that a similar experience is available to Philadelphians in an election year when so much is at stake.”
With misinformation surrounding the voting process making the rounds in the news media, Salcito hopes that this event will break down any barriers deterring members of the Philadelphia community from exercising their right to vote. “The truth is, there are a number of ways to vote safely. Registering for mail–in ballots, which RAMONA girls will be doing in addition to registering people to vote at the bake sale, is just one of the tactics to vote safely,” Salcito explained.
Aside from registering people to vote, Salcito and McRill’s team will also be on hand to provide voter education resources. In the face of COVID–19 related changes to voting procedures, election officials and presidential candidates alike are encouraging Americans to make a plan to cast their ballot. “We want to make sure that voters know that they can track their mail–in ballots by visiting pavoterservices.pa.gov,” Salcito said. “The best resource we can arm people with is information, so we will be there to communicate these tools, including where the polling place is.”
Guests can also help get out the vote by purchasing RAMONA–inspired cocktails à la Nick Elmi's In the Valley bar, which is known for its smart yet whimsical cocktails, and individually wrapped baked goods from some of Philly’s most renowned bakers. “During this year, which has been unprecedented in so many ways, we’re all in need of something homey and comforting—especially as temperatures dip,” Salcito noted, “While everyone has become an amateur baker this year, we ultimately decided to leave it up to the professionals to drive Philadelphians to vote.”
Alexander Roman of High Street Philly, Jack Peterson of Walnut Street Café, Khoran Horn of Eat Blvck, and Tova du Plessis of Essen Bakery are just a few of the chefs dishing out delicious confections for the fundraiser. For fans of Philly’s booming bakery scene, this event is a can’t miss. “I tapped old industry friends based in Philadelphia and brainstormed a list of our dream team bakers, and that’s who we are so happy to partner with for the bake sale. All of these bakers also have a great platform that can help amplify the importance of voting,” Salcito added.
100% of the proceeds for food and drink items will directly benefit Vote.org, with contactless purchases and donations available via Spotfund. As the largest 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan voter registration technology in America, Vote.org was an obvious choice for a beneficiary. Having registered more than 4.5 million new voters, verified 10.5 million voters’ registration status, and helped over 39 million website users formulate their voting plans, Vote.org has been a pivotal resource for voters navigating the 2020 election cycle.
Whether you come for the booze, baked goods, or ballot request forms, Saturday’s bake sale is a prime opportunity to help Philadelphians get their voices heard. Stop by to enjoy some tasty treats and the crisp fall weather and, above all, remember to vote.
Location: 129 S. 30th St.
