With the start of COVID-19, Project Feast pivoted our services to provide culturally appropriate emergency meals for immigrant and refugee families as well as seniors. By the end of 2020, we had prepared over 10,000 meals.
We are currently providing meals to the following organizations:
Communities in Schools – Kent to provide weekly meals. If you live in the Kent school district, contact your CIS-K coordinator to inquire about receiving a meal.
KentHope Day Center and Shelter – a center dedicated to homeless women and children.
West Seattle Food Bank– ensuring their neighbors in the High Point neighborhood have access to food and other basic needs.
International Rescue Committee – providing services to refugees. Our current partnership with them provides halal meals to Afghan individuals and families awaiting permanent housing at King County Hotels.
meals provided
in 2020
Why culturally appropriate meals?
During COVID-19, there has been much increased support from food banks and other food assistance programs. However, much of the food available doesn’t take into consideration ethnic cuisine or religious dietary restrictions. This leaves immigrant families, and especially families of new refugees, with food with which they are unfamiliar, which may cause stomach issues, or even food that they cannot eat due to their dietary restrictions.
Project Feast strives to fill this gap. With our rich history of creating immigrant cuisine, we draw on the recipes of our apprentices and staff to create meals familiar to these communities. In addition to creating culturally appropriate foods, we try to source our produce and meats from local, ethnically-owned or managed businesses. In this way, we aim to support our small businesses and help our local economy recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19.
Further, we have integrated the creation of these meals into our Culinary Skills Apprenticeship. Preparing these community meals not only provides hands-on experience for our students as they learn to work in a commercial kitchen, but also gives them an opportunity to help their communities in need.
Continued support for immigrants and other marginalized communities in the Kent area
Food insecurity will last well beyond COVID-19. We intend to continue and expand our Community Meals program beyond 2020. From our culinary training program to cooking free meals to supporting small food businesses, we strive to build a food system in the Kent area that provides continued support for immigrants and other marginalized communities.
You can help!
Donate to our cause. Together, we can alleviate hunger in our communities. Interested in making a corporate or foundation donation? Contact us at hello@projectfeast.org
Thank you!
Thank you to our financial and in-kind partners who help keep this program going:
Seattle Good Business Network – Good Food Kitchens
