A big dream for our Harriet Kitchen

Help us set the table and pull up more chairs for our future.

Since 2023, the Harriet Avenue kitchen has been more than just a workspace—it has become a sanctuary for small food businesses and a powerhouse that produces over hundreds of meals every week for our neighbors.

Now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transition from tenants to owners. Buying this building is about more than real estate; it is about agency and permanent safety for the BIPOC and women chefs who call this kitchen home.

A lot of good food comes out of this kitchen. Learn more about the businesses and people who call it home.

Why Ownership Matters

Our building is more than just a kitchen—it is a commissary model that works. By providing an affordable, licensed, and friendly environment, we have created a home for a diverse family of food entrepreneurs.

We designed a shared kitchen model that was equitable and could support businesses at different stages of growth. We wanted to share affordable commercial kitchen space to support the growth of women and BIPOC chefs and small food businesses.

Ownership gives us the agency and sustainability to protect our partner businesses–90% of whom are BIPOC or women-owned–from rising rents and displacement. We are securing a community asset that will continue to feed, employ, and empower our neighbors for years to come.

We need to raise $350,000 by the end of the year to buy the building and renovate it. We have three vital needs:

• The Sustainability & Equity Fund ($50,000): Creating a safety net to subsidize kitchen costs for low-income and marginalized entrepreneurs just starting their journeys.
  
• Building Acquisition ($150,000): Securing the down payment to transition the property from a commercial asset to a community haven.
• Infrastructure & Care ($150,000): Upgrading our equipment, maximizing our cold storage, and creating a modern, efficient space where our chefs can create and collaborate safely.

Why Eat for Equity?

We have a 13-year track record of turning food into power. From 13,200 sliding-scale meals to 36,000+ free culturally connected meals last year alone, we know how to build a bigger table. Now, we are asking you to help us build a permanent one.

Securing this kitchen ensures that Eat for Equity and our partners have a foundation that lasts for decades. We aren’t just buying a building; we are securing a community asset that will continue to feed, employ, and empower our neighbors for years to come.

Ways to Give