North End Restaurants Join to Conquer Diabetes in 13th Year of Cityfeast

CityFeast returned to Boston’s North End for its 13th year. This food-fueled evening was hosted on Sunday night by six local restaurants: Antico Forno, Aria Trattoria, Bricco Ristorante, Lucca, Terramia Ristorante, and Tresca.

Carla Agrippino Gomes, owner of Antico Forno and Terramia, founded CityFeast in 2005 in the North End with her restaurants and it has continued to grow. Since its inception, the popular event has raised more than $300,000 for Joslin Diabetes Center’s High Hopes Fund.

Attendees enjoyed a five-course dinner with wine pairings with proceeds benefiting the Center’s needs in research, education, and clinical care. Joslin Diabetes Center is a world-renowned diabetes research and care organization.

This is a personal cause for Carla whose son David has been living with Type 1 diabetes since his first birthday. Carla credits Joslin with David’s good health over the past 27 years, as well as his interest in the medical field. Shortly before his first birthday David was slipping into a diabetic coma as health professionals failed to properly diagnose him despite his parents’ persistence that something was wrong.  After that experience, Carla moved David’s care to Joslin, and her family has supported Joslin’s research for a cure and cutting-edge diabetes care. “This is the 13th CityFeast and we get more support each year,” said Carla Gomes, David’s mother and the owner of Terramia Ristorante and Antico Forno in the North End. “We have raised tens of thousands of dollars in each of the past years and every cent gets us closer to the day my son David and millions like him will know a world free from diabetes and its complications.” CityFeast donations can still be made at the Joslin website.