Taste of 7th Street will benefit victims of East Village explosion

Annual food crawl Taste of 7th Street will return to the East Village for the third year on April 11 and 12, offering bites from neighborhood joints like Luke's Lobster, Caracas Arepa Bar, Porchetta, Huertas and Big Gay Ice Cream. Tickets are $25 and not only does one get you great grub like a half Maine-style lobster roll and a "Basque dog" piled with piquillo-pepper mostarda, but proceeds will also be donated to the Red Cross's relief efforts, aiding the victims from the recent building explosion that wracked 2nd Avenue. 

Elsewhere, you can find other ways to help those affected by the tragedy by checking out East Village Relief, a new website sponsored by Community Board 3, the Borough President and the LES Business Improvement District, where you can donate directly to residents or to impacted businesses in the area.