NILES, Ohio – When Dr. Kathleen Padgitt was a teenager, she watched a segment on “60 Minutes” that exposed the realities of how veal was produced. The images stuck with her.

“I was about 12 or 13 at the time, and I just told my mother, ‘I’m out,’” Padgitt recalls. “If they can do that to a baby calf, I’m just out.”

That early decision set her on a lifelong path toward a plant-based lifestyle.

Today, Padgitt helps bring awareness to the regimen with the Autumn Splendor Plant-Based Meal and Wine Pairing, an annual fundraiser that benefits Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.

Now in its fifth year, Autumn Splendor will take place from 6-9 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Eastwood Event Centre in Niles. Proceeds will help Second Harvest in its mission of distributing food to more than 160 pantries across Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Padgitt first launched the event after years of teaching health and nutrition classes. The idea was simple: host a dinner that showcased the versatility of plant-based cuisine while raising money for families facing food insecurity.

“The generosity of the community is never outdone,” Padgitt says. “You never know until you ask how generous people can really be, and I think that’s amazing.”

That first dinner drew a modest crowd, but momentum grew quickly.

The second year Padgitt added a wine pairing with the help of Sam Miller, owner of Trumbull Industries. Miller has since become a staple of the evening, curating wines to complement each course and offering detailed presentations about their origins.

“Sam has probably forgotten more than the best sommelier in New York City,” Padgitt says. “He not only tells you about the nuances of the wine, but he gives you the back story of the vineyard. People come to hear him as much as they come for the dinner.”

This year’s theme takes guests on a culinary world tour, with a menu inspired by traditional harvest festivals across five countries:

• South Korea: Vegetable Kimchi Jeon, a colorful Korean pancake served with spicy cucumber salad.

• Dominican Republic: Mofongo with roasted mushrooms and pearl onions topped with wild mushroom sauce.

• Liberia: Jollof rice with injera, mango salsa, avocado and spicy pepper sauce.

• Germany: Vegan schnitzel with red cabbage, spaetzli and lemon.

• Netherlands: Mini Dutch apple pie with Dr. Padgitt’s granola topping and whipped cream.

Each course will be paired with wine selections chosen by Miller. Padgitt hints at a few surprises in the program as well.

The event has become a major fundraiser for Second Harvest. According to executive director Mike Iberis, the first four Autumn Splendor dinners raised more than $123,000 – enough to provide over 617,000 meals to families in need.

“This is something very unique,” Iberis says. “We’ve not seen anything like it within our network of 200 partner food banks across the country. It allows people to learn about plant-based meals while also supporting families right here in the Valley.”

Each year, the event caps attendance at 350 due to kitchen capacity, and every year it sells out. “Every year we turn people away,” Iberis says.

The support is critical. Second Harvest supplies food to pantries that serve roughly 1,000 people each week. Of its 160 pantries, 25 are based in schools, ensuring children have access to food before going home. In 2024, the food bank distributed nearly 11 million pounds of food.

Padgitt credits local businesses with helping the event grow. The Cafaro Co. has played a key role, offering marketing support and hosting the dinner at its Eastwood Event Centre. Other sponsors include PI & I Motor Express, Humtown, Trumbull Industries, and several community partners.

Pam Kerola of PI & I said her company’s involvement comes from a belief that food banks serve one of the most urgent needs. “There’s a charity out there for everything, but this one really makes a difference,” she says “If you can only support one cause, I would highly recommend it be a food bank.”

Kerola and her colleagues bring a group of friends each year, many of whom were initially skeptical about a vegan dinner. “They all kind of raised their eyebrows at first,” she says. “But they cleaned their plates, and now they call every year asking when the next one is.”

For Padgitt, that shift in perception is one of the event’s most rewarding outcomes. While some guests are vegetarians or vegan, many are not. The dinner, she says, shows that plant-based food can be flavorful, diverse and satisfying.

“The idea is just to broaden people’s palates,” she says. “Being whole food and plant-based doesn’t mean you’re just going to have a salad and carrots with ranch dressing. There are amazing ways vegetables can be prepared.”

As she looks ahead to the fifth year of Autumn Splendor, Padgitt hopes the dinner continues to inspire. “Our goal isn’t to make everyone vegetarian,” she says. “But if people leave thinking about how they might incorporate more plant-based meals into their lifestyle, then we’ve done what we set out to do.”

Sponsors for the Autumn Splendor Plant-Based Meal and Wine Pairing include:

  • The Cafaro Foundation.
  • PI & I Motor Express.
  • Humtown.
  • Trumbull Industries.
  • Eastwood Mall.
  • The Business Journal.
  • 717 Credit Union.
  • Compco.
  • The Kidney Group.
  • Feeding America.