Nearly 1,800 guests at Redmond-based Hopelink’s 20th annual Reaching Out Benefit Luncheon heard chef and Food Network mainstay Alton Brown describe cooking as a way of creating confidence and building community. The author and philanthropist said “cooking at home fixes almost everything,” while also giving people pride, self-respect and dignity – key elements in the journey out of poverty. The October 19 event at Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center raised nearly one million dollars to help local families in crisis become self-sufficient.