This person at social function provides food item (8)
I believe the answer is:
meatball
'food item' is the definition.
(meatball is a type of food item)
'this person at social function' is the wordplay.
'this person' becomes 'me' (the person writing).
'social function' becomes 'ball' (I've seen this before).
'me'+'at'+'ball'='MEATBALL'
'provides' is the link.
(Other definitions for meatball that I've seen before include "Small sphere of minced beef" , "Food made from minced beef" , "Item in the Greek dish keftedes" , "A round of minced beef" , "Something to savour" .)