In Summary:
The Takoma Park Silver Spring Community Kitchen will build economic opportunity, be environmentally sustainable, alleviate hunger, and strengthen community health. We have raised $343,000 and need your help to raise the final $31,000. The money will leverage another $31,000 in State funds. These funds will pay for the renovation of a donated kitchen so that it can meet health code, be universally accessible, and serve the wider community.
Lorig will run a 50K (31 mile) trail run to raise the final $31,000, and she’ll take you with her for the small price of $75 – well, at least she’ll take your name on her shirt.
Like us at https://www.facebook.com/TPPCKitchen
What this Kitchen Can Do:
Economic Opportunity: By meeting all local health and safety requirements that apply to food produced for sale, the kitchen facility provides small-scale food entrepreneurs the space to prepare value-added food for public sale. Small-scale and low-income food entrepreneurs lack the capital to invest in their own production facility or even to pay high rates for commercial kitchen rental at the few available facilities in the area. In addition to creating income for entrepreneurs and their families, the kitchen can provide a location to process locally grown food, thus increasing economic opportunity for neighboring farmers.
Environmental Sustainability: This community kitchen strengthens the local food system by increasing the volume of locally grown food that can be processed in the community. Shortening the supply chain of any aspect of the food production process ultimately decreases the food miles travelled, thereby lessening the carbon footprint of our meals.
Health Benefits: Locally produced products are likely to be fresher and less heavily processed than mass produced and heavily-traveled food. Increasing our community’s access to these foods is better for our physical health.
Food Security: A kitchen that can process food locally strengthens our food security by increasing the availability of locally grown foods throughout the year. This is especially important in times of crisis.
Hunger Alleviation: The community kitchen will support volunteer preparation of healthful food for distribution at shelters and to needful community members.