Transform 2021
We know that last year was one of the toughest our communities have faced in a long time. The need to do more is present. As 2021 kicks off, Cultivate Food Rescue wanted to look inward. What motivates us and our communities to change? Where do we fit within our communities? Ultimately, how can we turn things up a notch and do even more for our community and assist those wanting to do more as well? We got together with some of our brightest and created the Transform 2021 campaign.
The word transform fits into every facet of what we do. We transform food that would have been waste into brand new meals for our communities. We transform food donations into stocked pantries all around us. We transform hungry mouths into well-fueled minds. Throughout 2021 in all of our messaging, we hope to convey transformation and inspire those around us to make their own positive transformations. Together we can help make a positive impact within all of our communities.
Save the Date: Taste of Hope 2021
Save the date for Taste of Hope 2021 on September 16th at the Century Center on the Island! We are excited for you to join us at our largest fundraiser of the year where you will enjoy a variety of delicious foods, live music, and learn more about the impact Cultivate is having in our community! Keep an eye out for more information in our upcoming newsletters and social media posts.
Make it Monthly!
Volunteer of the Month
Jerilyn Bridges
Jerilyn came to volunteer with us through the Logan Center. She is a nature instructor with Logan but after a knee surgery, she needed somewhere to work where she could be off of her feet for a few months. Jerilyn’s volunteer work was greatly appreciated and noticed. In the few months that she was with us, she labeled over 18,000 meal trays! She also opened many, many bags of croutons which went into our meals as a bread source. We are so grateful that she had the patience to do all of those trays. Her work set our volunteer groups up to prepare thousands of meals. What seems like a small task, was a very important project to help get over 5,000 meals out the door every week. She never complained and came in with a smiling face every day! In her free time, Jerilyn loves to play the piano for Progressive Missionary Baptist Church. We are so thankful for dedicated volunteers like Jerilyn who believe in our mission and serve with us consistently.
Pantry Network Program
As our pantry partnerships have taken off and we begin to launch a new Pantry Network Program, Bob Herbert was recently hired as Food Sourcing Agent for Cultivate. Bob brings more than 30 years of Hospitality Management experience to the team. His background spans from managing high-volume contract foodservice operations in New York City to various popular casual dining restaurants across the east coast. Beginning his career working as an apprentice chef in an Atlantic City Casino, he went on to graduate at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York. Bob has held positions as General Manager, Area Director, and Director of Restaurant Support. Bob is experienced with opening restaurants, mentoring and building strong teams, delivering quality food and service experiences, and is proud to be a part of the support team at Cultivate.
Since joining the Cultivate team, Bob’s focus has been product procurement and building relationships with pantries and soup kitchens. The pandemic has placed a lot of strain on many food processors, farmers, and distribution companies which has afforded Cultivate the opportunity to acquire a large quantity of donated food products well-suited for soup kitchens. Pantries often lack fresh products and have a high demand for staple fresh items like milk, cheese, ground beef, and vegetables. Most pantries will use cash to purchase these items at retail prices. Cultivate is building a program to purchase fresh items needed in pantries at wholesale value and pass the price savings along to the pantry. The cost reduction to pantries will allow them to use any excess cash to improve their facilities or to use for their wish lists. Cultivate is in development of a web-based software application that will provide a portal for pantries to use in search of products for their pantries. Much like an online shopping website, pantries can point and click to select items needed for their pantry. We plan to be in a small release of this application within the next 30 days. This application will improve communication and logistical efficiencies for Cultivate and partnering food pantries. The need for Cultivate’s services continues to grow and we are growing to support those in need.
Capital Items Update: Tilt Skillet and Lights
Thanks to the generosity of two donors, Cultivate Food Rescue was blessed with new lighting and the addition of a new Tilt Skillet for our production kitchen. A donation from the Anonymous Fund at the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County enabled us to purchase a 40- gallon Tilt Skillet that will allow us to cook large quantities of food in the same time frame as it would to cook one single pan or pot of the same item. A second capital donation from Logistick, Inc. in South Bend provided new LED lighting for our building and new solar lighting for our outdoor sign, drastically reducing energy costs and improving illumination.
A number of other capital needs exist here at Cultivate. Please contact Todd Zeltwanger at (574) 952-8148 or toddz@cultivatefoodrescue.com for a complete list of the items needed.
Tippecanoe Place Restaurant Give Back Month!
Cultivate Food Rescue is partnering with Tippecanoe Place Restaurant for their March Mansion Madness to raise funds for our School Backpack Meals Program. Every Saturday in March, you can enjoy fine dining and a delicious 3-course meal package that includes a choice of soup or salad, one of five scrumptious entrée offerings, and one of 3 delectable dessert choices. This elegant dinner for 2 can be enjoyed as dine-in or carry-out. From each $89 meal package, Cultivate Food Rescue will receive $9! So, please consider treating yourself and supporting hungry kids in our community at the same time.
The offer will be available:
Wed/Thur: 4pm – 8pm
Fri/Sat: Noon – 9pm
Sun: 10am – 8pm
Choices:
Soup or Salad – Caeser / Chopped, Soup of the Day or French Onion
Entrée Selection – Prime Rib, Rib-Eye, Salmon, Mustard Shrimp, Chicken Marsala or Chefs Pasta
Dessert Selection – Chocolate Torte, Cheesecake or Crème Brûlée
