Eat For Equity Inc

COMMUNITY FEASTS:2022 WAS THE YEAR THAT EAT FOR EQUITY FINALLY RETURNED TO HOSTING COMMUNITY FEASTS. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, EAT FOR EQUITY DID NOT HOST ANY IN-PERSON EVENTS OR FUNDRAISERS IN 2020 OR 2021. 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 IN 2021, WITH BONNAROO MUSIC FESTIVAL, BUT THE FESTIVAL WAS CANCELED LAST MINUTE DUE TO FLOODING.BONNAROO MUSIC FESTIVAL IN 2022 WAS AN EPIC RETURN TO FUNDRAISING DINNERS. A TEAM OF VOLUNTEER COOKS MADE TWO FOUR-COURSE FEASTS AND AN EPIC SALAD FOR HUNDREDS OUT OF A 90 DEGREE TENT IN TENNESSEE. OUR VOLUNTEER CREW JUMPED BACK INTO THE JOY AND STRESS OF IN-PERSON EVENTS, HAVING FUN WHILE MAKING IT WORK. ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WROTE IN A SURVEY, "IT'S A GOOD EXPERIENCE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS WITH KIND PEOPLE FROM ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND WALKS OF LIFE, PLUS PUT IN SOME WORK (WHICH I ALWAYS ENJOY) AND ENJOY THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR IN THE DELICIOUS FOOD. AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, YOU GET TO HEAR ALL KINDS OF GREAT MUSICAL PERFORMANCES. I'M ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR! :D."WE ALSO GET TO WORK WITH ROCK STARS AT BONNAROO. THIS YEAR, MAGGIE ROSE SHARED HER RECIPE FOR LEMONY VINAIGRETTE AND TASTE-TESTED IT WITH US, AND LP GIOBBI CAME BY THE TENT TO CHOP CUCUMBERS AND PEPPERS FOR THE WORLD'S LONGEST SALAD. WE ALSO HAD VOLUNTEERS IN OUR VERY FAVORITE HOUSE BAND, WAILING LOONS, RETURNING FOR THEIR SIXTH YEAR AT BONNAROO. OUR WORK ON THE DINNERS WAS FEATURED IN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND THE TENNESSEAN.IN 2022, 77% OF OUR FOOD DOLLARS WERE SPENT ON EITHER LOCAL OR ORGANIC FOOD. WE PRIORITIZED PURCHASING INGREDIENTS FROM THE TENNESSEE FARMERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE PROVIDED FOOD FOR THE DINNERS EACH YEAR.EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING:EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING IS A SEPARATE BENEFIT CORPORATION OWNED BY EAT FOR EQUITY, AND BECAME A SEPARATE ENTITY IN JANUARY 2018. WHILE A SEPARATE COMPANY, EAT FOR EQUITY IS THE OWNER OF EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING, AND SO WE'LL HIGHLIGHT HERE THE VALUES-DRIVEN WORK OF THE COMPANY: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. IN 2022, EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING CONTINUED TO BUILD ON PROGRAMS THAT MEET COMMUNITY FOOD NEEDS. WE USED OUR BENEFIT PURPOSES AND VALUES AS GUIDING FORCES IN THOSE BUSINESS DECISIONS. OUR VALUES ARE SUSTAINABILITY, DIVERSITY, GENEROSITY, INCLUSION, AND COLLABORATION.SLIDING SCALE MEAL BOXES:EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING MAKES DELICIOUS, SUSTAINABLE PREPARED FOOD ACCESSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY AT A SLIDING SCALE. WE ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR OUR COMMUNITY - OUR CUSTOMERS CAN CHOOSE TO PAY IT FORWARD SO OTHERS CAN PAY WHAT THEY CAN. OUR MEAL BOX PROGRAM INCLUDES BOTH PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN AND PAY-IT-FORWARD OPTIONS, SO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS CAN ACCESS GOOD, NUTRITIOUS FOOD. EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING SOURCES FRESH, LOCAL AND ORGANIC INGREDIENTS AND FEATURE A NEW MENU EACH WEEK.WE PREPARED THE EQUIVALENT OF OVER 10,000 LOCAL AND ORGANIC MEALS, AVAILABLE FOR SLIDING SCALE TO OUR NEIGHBORS. WE ALSO PROVIDED 369 PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN MEAL BOXES IN 2022, WHICH IS AN ESTIMATED 2500 MEALS AND AN INCREASE OF OVER 70% FROM 2021. CUSTOMERS ARE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY COULD PAY [$30-$80 IN $10 INCREMENTS]. ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS WROTE, "I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT E4E. YOUR PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN OPTION REALLY HELPS US, AND WE ALWAYS PAY AS MUCH AS WE CAN MANAGE."FREE PREPARED MEALS:OUR CONTINUED WORK WITH MINNESOTA CENTRAL KITCHEN AND SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND RECOGNIZES THAT HUNGER ISN'T JUST ABOUT ACCESS TO FOOD. IN ITS THIRD YEAR, THE MINNESOTA CENTRAL KITCHEN PROJECT [NOW RENAMED KITCHEN COALITION] PROVIDED MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION PREPARED MEALS - AND EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING PROVIDED 34,471 OF THOSE FREE PREPARED MEALS, AN INCREASE OF 27% MORE MEALS THIS YEAR.WE'RE A KITCHEN PARTNER WITH KITCHEN COALITION AND PREPARE 600-1000 MEALS A WEEK THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED TO OUR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY. IT SERVES UP CULTURALLY CONNECTED, FRESHLY PREPARED MEALS AND IS A WHOLE NEW WAY TO FIGHT HUNGER. WE'RE PART OF A NETWORK OF LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND CATERERS WHO TURN FOOD BANK INGREDIENTS INTO NUTRITIOUS, FRESHLY PREPARED MEALS.KITCHEN COMMISSARY:EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING BEGAN SHARING ITS COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SPACE WITH 1 - 2 USERS AT A TIME TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF WOMEN AND BIPOC CHEFS AND SMALL FOOD BUSINESSES.CATERING:EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING IS NOT CURRENTLY OFFERING OFF-SITE CATERING AT EVENT LOCATIONS, DELIVERY OR FULL-SERVICE. WE SHIFTED MUCH OF OUR FOCUS TOWARD MEAL BOXES AND COMMUNITY FOOD RELIEF.MEDICALLY-TAILORED MEALS:PILOT KITCHEN PARTNER WITH SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND AND FOOD RX TO PREPARE MEDICALLY-TAILORED NUTRITIOUS MEALS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND PEOPLE WITH HYPERTENSION AND HEART DISEASE.COMMUNITY MARKET:EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING AND EAT FOR EQUITY WORKED WITH THE DU NORD FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THE DU NORD COMMUNITY MARKET, A BARRIER-FREE FOOD SHELF, UNTIL ITS CLOSING IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR. EAT FOR EQUITY CATERING PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND LOGISTICS SUPPORT, IN ADDITION TO IN-KIND FOOD DONATIONS AND PREPARED MEALS THROUGH OUR WORK WITH KITCHEN COALITION.IN ITS FIRST YEAR, THE COMMUNITY MARKET HELPED OVER 23,000 NEIGHBORS FEED THEIR FAMILIES WITH QUALITY NUTRITIOUS FOOD. THE MARKET WAS AN IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCE, OFFERING OUR NEIGHBORS FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND CULTURALLY-CONNECTED FOODS.