Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Living our mission... by feeding people
In the early days of this pandemic, I had an important conversation with City Club Executive Chef Adam Crawford. His kitchen was idle, and as all of the different pieces of our economy were shutting down, he wondered if there was a way to use our kitchen—and his time—to help.
We’re not a direct service organization, so that meant looking to partners in the community to find out if they needed help. He and I both started asking around. I came up empty, and Chef Adam connected with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries, a vitally important non-profit that runs homeless shelters and job training programs for returning citizens. What happened next was incredible. WKYC reporter Lindsey Buckingham tells the story (click image for video):
As Chef Adam and Sous Chef Neil Baron began this work--and sustained it for more than eight months now--I began to realize that this work wasn't just about giving some time to another organization's efforts. Our mission is about a thriving democracy and a strong community. Being present for our partners and helping them meet the needs of our most vulnerable is another way to fulfill that mission. There are a lot of organizations that are working on their own and with others to assist our neighbors. We're very proud that the City Club can work beyond our convening power to directly nourish and sustain our neighbors.
