Eat For Equity Inc

IN 2020, EAT FOR EQUITY AND ITS BENEFIT CORPORATION EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING ADAPTED CONSTANTLY TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, AND USED OUR MISSION AND VALUES AS GUIDING FORCES IN THOSE CHANGES. WE SHIFTED OUR FOCUS TOWARD COMMUNITY FOOD RELIEF, AND BEGAN TWO NEW PROGRAMS TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT. THE FIRST, A MEAL BOX PROGRAM, WITH SLIDING SCALE OPTIONS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, NOURISHING FOOD TO OUR NEIGHBORS. THE SECOND PROGRAM WAS BECOMING A KITCHEN PARTNER IN THE MINNESOTA CENTRAL KITCHEN, PREPARING BETWEEN 600-800 MEALS A WEEK FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION TO OUR NEIGHBORS THROUGH SECOND HARVEST. ADDITIONALLY, WE WORKED WITH DU NORD CRAFT SPIRITS TO CREATE A TEMPORARY PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM AS A MUTUAL AID RESPONSE TO COVID AND THE UPRISING IN SUPPORT OF BLACK LIVES. IN 2021, WE IDENTIFIED ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS AS ESSENTIAL CORE PROGRAMS, NO LONGER TEMPORARY RESPONSES TO A CRISIS. WE SOLIDIFIED OUR COMMITMENT TO THESE PROGRAMS RECOGNIZING THAT THEY SERVE A VITAL NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.THE MEAL BOX PROGRAM INCLUDES BOTH PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN AND PAY-IT-FORWARD OPTIONS, SO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS COULD ACCESS GOOD, NUTRITIOUS FOOD. ONE CUSTOMER WROTE," I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, BUT IN THE INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL FIRST YEAR OF COVID AND THE UPRISING, I DO NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE NOURISHMENT WE GOT FROM E4E. I PERSONALLY FELT SO CARED FOR BY THESE THOUGHTFUL MEAL BOXES - AND E4E BECAME PART OF MY SUPPORT SYSTEM. IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST MEALS." WE PREPARED THE EQUIVALENT OF OVER 10,000 LOCAL AND ORGANIC MEALS, AVAILABLE FOR SLIDING SCALE TO OUR NEIGHBORS.OUR CONTINUED WORK WITH MINNESOTA CENTRAL KITCHEN AND SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND RECOGNIZES THAT HUNGER ISN'T JUST ABOUT ACCESS TO FOOD. IN ITS SECOND YEAR, THE MINNESOTA CENTRAL KITCHEN PROJECT PROVIDED MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION PREPARED MEALS - AND EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING PROVIDED 27,000 OF THOSE MEALS. OUR TEAM PRODUCES 600-800 MEALS A WEEK FOR OUR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY. WE ALSO BEGAN TO WORK WITH SECOND HARVEST TO PREPARE MEDICALLY-TAILORED NUTRITIOUS MEALS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND PEOPLE WITH HYPERTENSION AND HEART DISEASE.WE WORKED WITH THE DU NORD FOUNDATION TO LAUNCH THE DU NORD COMMUNITY MARKET, A BARRIER-FREE FOOD SHELF. EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND LOGISTICS SUPPORT, IN ADDITION TO IN-KIND FOOD DONATIONS AND PREPARED MEALS THROUGH OUR WORK WITH MINNESOTA CENTRAL KITCHEN. IN ITS FIRST YEAR, THE COMMUNITY MARKET HELPED OVER 23,000 NEIGHBORS FEED THEIR FAMILIES WITH QUALITY NUTRITIOUS FOOD. THE MARKET OFFERS OUR NEIGHBORS FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND CULTURALLY-CONNECTED FOODS.--- COMMUNITY FEASTS ---DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, EAT FOR EQUITY DID NOT HOST ANY IN-PERSON EVENTS OR FUNDRAISERS. WE HAVE TYPICALLY HOSTED COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AROUND FOOD THAT RAISE SUPPORT FOR OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.EAT FOR EQUITY PLANNED A RETURN TO HOSTING FUNDRAISING EVENTS WITH BONNAROO MUSIC FESTIVAL, ONLY TO HAVE THE FESTIVAL CANCELED LAST MINUTE DUE TO FLOODING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CORE PART OF OUR WORK PRE-PANDEMIC - HOSTING COMMUNITY FEASTS - CONTINUED TO BE ON HOLD. STILL, IN 2021, ESSENTIALLY 100% [ 97% ] OF OUR FOOD DOLLARS WERE SPENT ON EITHER LOCAL OR ORGANIC FOOD, AND WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY FOR FREE. WHEN BONNAROO WAS CANCELED A DAY BEFORE THE EVENT, WE HAD ALREADY PURCHASED AND PREPARED MUCH OF THE FOOD. WE DISTRIBUTED ALL OF THAT FOOD TO AREA FOOD PANTRIES AND MEAL PROGRAMS, MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH FOOD RESOURCES IN TENNESSEE. OUR FOOD WAS ENTIRELY LOCAL [97%], WITH JUST 3% CONVENTIONAL. WE PRIORITIZED PURCHASING INGREDIENTS FROM THE TENNESSEE FARMERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE PROVIDED FOOD FOR THE DINNERS EACH YEAR. WE HOPE TO RESUME IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING IN 2022.EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING IS A SEPARATE BENEFIT CORPORATION OWNED BY EAT FOR EQUITY, AND BECAME A SEPARATE ENTITY IN JANUARY 2018. EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING PROMOTES AND MODELS EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SOURCING, PROVIDES ACCESS TO CONSCIOUS FOOD CHOICES, AND USES CATERING TO SUPPORT LOCAL NONPROFIT CAUSES. EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING IS A SEPARATE COMPANY, AND ALSO DONATES INGREDIENTS AND SHARES SPACE WITH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.