Kinship Mke Inc

KINSHIP COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER, FORMERLY KNOWN AS RIVERWEST FOOD PANTRY, ENGAGES VOLUNTEERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS TO END HUNGER, ISOLATION, AND POVERTY. OUR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS NOURISH FOOD SECURITY AND WELLNESS, FOSTER BELONGING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND EMPOWER STABILITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN OUR CITY.

THE ORGANIZATION CHANGED ITS NAME FROM RIVERWEST FOOD PANTRY IN APRIL 2022. AFTER 40 YEARS, THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION HAD EVOLVED FROM FEEDING PEOPLE TO HELPING ONE ANOTHER THRIVE; THE NEW NAME BETTER REFLECTS HOW THE ORGANIZATION GATHERS NEIGHBORS AROUND FOOD TO SHARE THEIR LIVES AND BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS. RATHER THAN JUST DISTRIBUTING FOOD, KINSHIP COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER AIMS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AROUND FOOD THAT HAVE THE POWER TO TRANSFORM PEOPLE'S LIVES AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS SEVERAL PROGRAMS WHICH ADDRESS FOOD SCARCITY AND HELP THE WHOLE PERSON THRIVE. THEY ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED BELOW: SHOP | FRESH FOOD MARKET SHOP IS A FRESH FOOD MARKET THAT INTEGRATES HEALTH EDUCATION, COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS, A FOOD BAR, AND CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES. IN 2023, 346,000 POUNDS OF FOOD WERE GIVEN TO MORE THAN 15,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHICH WAS A 40% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR IN NEW HOUSEHOLDS SERVED. THE ORGANIZATION SERVED BREAKFASTS & DINNERS FROM OUR COMMUNITY KITCHEN AND HELD FOOD PREPARATION DEMOS PROVIDED BY COMMUNITY CHEFS. NEARLY 90% OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY THEY ARE NOW COOKING WITH MORE PRODUCE AT HOME BECAUSE OF SHOPPING AT OUR FRESH FOOD MARKET. GROW | URBAN FARM TO FEED AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY, THE ORGANIZATION OPERATED A 27,000 SQUARE FOOT URBAN HOOP HOUSE VEGETABLE FARM AND GARDENS THAT GREW OVER 15,000 POUNDS OF FRESH, LOCAL, AND ORGANIC PRODUCE IN 2023. THE ORGANIZATION PARTNERED WITH MAGLIO COMPANY TO OPERATE THE FARM. FEAST | COLLABORATIVE MEALS FEAST IS A COLLABORATIVE MEAL THAT BRINGS A DIVERSE GROUP AROUND A COMMON TABLE TO EXPLORE FOOD TRADITIONS AND WHOLE FOOD CULINARY SKILLS. 96% OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY THEY HAVE MADE NEW FRIENDSHIPS AT KINSHIP. EIGHT FEAST MEALS AND THREE FARM TO FORK MEALS OCCURRED IN 2023 AND 350 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATED.

FORM | EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT FORM IS A SERVICE-BASED TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS IN SPIRITUAL FORMATION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND CIVIC ACTION. 8,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS GAVE OVER 27,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES IN 2023, A 35% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. OVER 1,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN OUR FACES OF HUNGER TRAININGS. MISSION INTERNSHIP | A YEAR OF SERVICE IN 2023, OUR EIGHTH YEAR OF THE MISSION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, SIX WOMEN AND TWO MEN GAVE A YEAR OF THEIR LIFE IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY WHILE LIVING TOGETHER IN TWO NEIGHBORHOOD HOMES NEAR THE FOOD CENTER. MORE THAN JUST LEARNING TO COORDINATE THE OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF OUR FOOD CENTER AND FARM, THE MISSION INTERNS ESTABLISHED REAL RELATIONSHIPS TO SUPPORT SHOPPERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND ONE ANOTHER. THEY ALSO PARTICIPATED IN WEEKLY FORMATION SESSIONS AND GATHERED FOR PRAYER AT THE START OF EACH MORNING.

STRIDE | CRISIS ASSISTANCE AND MENTORING STRIDE IS A MENTORING PROGRAM THAT ACCOMPANIES PEOPLE IN CRISIS TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO HEALTH AND ECONOMIC STABILITY. STAFF AND VOLUNTEER MENTORS ASSESS AND WALK WITH SHOPPERS TO NAVIGATE THE MYRIAD BARRIERS THAT OFTEN ACCOMPANY FOOD INSECURITY. THE ORGANIZATION ACHIEVED AN 84% CRISIS ASSISTANCE REFERRAL RATE THROUGH OUR STRONG NETWORK OF PARTNERS; PREVENTED EVICTION AND/OR HOMELESSNESS FOR 94 FAMILIES THROUGH DIRECT ASSISTANCE AND REFERRALS; AND STABILIZED 365 FAMILIES THROUGH EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, PREVENTION OF UTILITY DISCONNECTIONS AND/OR OBTAINING NEEDED HOUSEHOLD GOODS. 98% OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET SUPPORT AND HELP AT KINSHIP. WORKFORCE | EMPLOYMENT READINESS AND TRAINING WORKFORCE IS A PAID WORK EXPERIENCE THAT INTEGRATES SOCIAL CONNECTION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE A HEALING PATH TOWARD STEADY EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. THE ORGANIZATION OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED ITS WORKFORCE PROGRAM IN 2023 AND ITS HOLISTIC CARE MODEL INTEGRATES TRAINING IN CULINARY ARTS, URBAN AGRICULTURE, AND GROCERY OPERATIONS WITH CASE MANAGEMENT AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING.