Of all the people who could have won this year’s Voice of Vashon (VoV) raffle for a three-minute shopping spree at Vashon Thriftway, this year it went to someone — Dre Neeley — who will make it a win for the entire island.

Neeley, the executive chef of Gravy, has won high praise not only for his delicious cuisine but also for his practice of giving back to island causes. Now, Neeley and his wife and co-owner of Gravy, Pepa Brower, plan to put his shopping spree to excellent use: by hosting a community cookout to benefit the Vashon Food Bank. (See commentary, page 6.)

The event will take place from 1-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at The County Store and Farm — a celebration that will include delicious grilled food, beer, wine, music and lawn games to celebrate the end of summer. A suggested donation of $25 will benefit the food bank — an organization Neeley enthusiastically supports as a board member.

Neeley’s shopping spree, which he and Brower have no doubt planned well in advance to maximize its value, will happen at 7 a.m. on the morning of the picnic. Islanders can stay in their pajamas at home to watch the fun live-streamed on Voice of Vashon’s Instagram account.

Neeley crafts dishes based on diverse influences and experiences, including his time in Seattle as the head chef at a Capitol Hill favorite, Cafe Presse. His cuisine also often deliciously reflects his Southern roots, in comforting yet sophisticated renditions of classic dishes including collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and delicately fried catfish.

Many of his ingredients are locally sourced from Vashon farms.

Neeley wants not only Gravy’s customers, but everyone on Vashon, to eat well.

On his restaurant’s website, he touts the importance of food for all, saying that “the Vashon Food Bank provides peace of mind and allows us to get on with the business at hand — ensuring every island resident has the food they need to not only survive but thrive.”

The Food Bank’s director, Emily Scott, is urging all to attend and share in the bounty of Neeley’s raffle win.

“It’s sure to be a delightful event in celebration of food, friends and community,” she said.

Kate Dowling, executive director of Voice of Vashon, thanked Thiftway owners for their generosity through the years in sponsoring the raffle. She also thanked four other second-place winners in the raffle, who each donated their prize — a $50 Thriftway gift certificate — back to the food bank.

Neeley’s community-minded cookout is a twist in a lengthening history of Voice of Vashon’s raffle winners who have donated their shopping spree proceeds to the food bank. Since 2019, the winner of each year’s raffle has donated the haul from their shopping spree to the food bank. This year, the Food Bank will not receive upwards of $2,000 of donated foodstuffs, but rather, cash raised at the benefit, to sustain its operations and purchase what it needs most.

Islanders, in turn, will have the chance to gather on the spacious grounds of The Country Store to enjoy not only Neeley’s cooking but each other.

Find out more about Neeley at gravyvashon.com, and learn more about Vashon Food Bank at vashonfoodbank.org.