The last twelve months have been incredibly challenging. Our hearts are breaking for food service friends who have lost their jobs or businesses. Our community kitchen partners have made heroic pivots to serve their rapidly increasing client base. It is hard to fathom the loss of life, physical and mental wellness, and economic independence that has precipitated upon us.
And yet, we feel and see signs of hope. Vaccines are giving folks confidence to do the things that they need to do and that they enjoy. The economy, particularly in service industries is responding with hiring. Many businesses have learned to use new tools and systems, and adjusted their operating principles to survive 2020, and are now finding that their new way of doing business is providing a revenue stream that may endure, even as the old ways of doing business come back to life. From zoom meetings, to curbside pick-up to remote learning, despite its tragedy, the crisis has given birth to invention.
In 2020, the JPF cancelled all of our in-person fundraising events. One of our pivots in response was to launch our Poster Relief Campaign, which raised over $40,000, providing essential funds. This revenue buoyed our granting program which finished the year providing $275,000 in grants, far exceeding our goal of $200K!
In addition, we shifted the focus of our curriculum development to a fully on-line model, and we are now partnering with one of the country’s most respected on-line culinary training providers. This new curriculum, available soon, will become an additional resource for our CK partners, and a bridge should in-person training need to be suspended again.
To continue these efforts, we need your help. For our 2021 Recovery Campaign, we have created two new poster prints of Jacques’ artwork, offered in a larger size: 2021 Recovery, and 2021 Kitchen Strong. Jacques has always been an inspiration in the kitchen, and these artworks offer peace and serenity, as well as a rallying cry to keep going toward the light at the end of the tunnel.
The need of our country’s under-served citizens and restaurant family is greater than ever. Please help us support our community kitchen partners, fighting on the front lines of job training and hunger relief.
Thank you, stay well and be kind.
