Everything…Including The Kitchen Sink

Dreams can become reality. Every day, members of the foodservice equipment and supplies industry are helping business owners, nonprofit executives, school principals, government administrators and others fulfill dreams of affordable, durable, efficient kitchens.

 

Soon enough, we all hope and pray, the economy will truly turn around, providing ample business opportunity, economic growth and job creation as more organizations renovate, expand or build from the ground up. Until then, the return customer and the risk-taking entrepreneur are looking at the foodservice E&S industry as a vehicle for philanthropic opportunity and decreasing need.

 

Still, while the P&L statements, general ledgers and balance sheets still struggle to show positive outcomes for many of our businesses, there is one sector of our society whose need for foodservice equipment and supplies doesn’t slow during challenging times – in fact, its need elevates.

 

For more than a year, non-profits across America have seen community-based deprivation increase. Those in greatest need are turning to non-profits that provide food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, daycare and similar services. Over the past year, Cooking Up Better Lives has received requests from facilities needing more storage containers, freezer space, refrigerator capacity and tabletop supplies, as well as replacement or upgraded ranges, counters, shelving and small wares.

 

In order to have the greatest impact, in 2011 Cooking Up Better Lives will remain committed to the following:

 

1.     We will continue to take requests from nonprofits across the nation to see if any items on their wish lists match up to available products in our marketplace. Many nonprofits are glad to receive floor models of foodservice equipment, scratch and dents or items left over from previous years. We we will continue to inform nonprofits that even if equipment can’t be donated, we will try to find the most competitive pricing – an approach that helped convince a donor to give funds to Boulder Prep School  for the purchase (below normal discount and with free shipping) of a freezer, thanks to Ascend Manufacturing.

 

2.     We will once again complete a Better Lives Makeover in 2011. Started in 2010 in Houston, this concept lets us collaborate with one nonprofit that is building a new kitchen or completely renovating an older one. The Bridge in Houston was serving 137,000 meals a year at the 6th largest women and children shelter in Texas.  Now, with a new kitchen outfitted by industry partners (see news release from October 2010 and press clipping), more than 200,000 people can be served annually.

 

The Better Lives Makeover 2011 recipient will be located in Denver, Colorado, CUBL will do its best to leverage our corporate partnerships beyond our own industry, specifically targeting companies that already have relationships with Cooking Up Better Lives board members. 

 

Our industry is primed and ready for good news in 2011. We will share our appeals of collective strength with other corporations, nonprofits and the media. Our hope is that these partners will see how, on the for profit side of the ledger, we are helping the economy. Equally, on the nonprofit side of revenues and expenses, we will continue to put money back into services and programs by saving charitable organizations money on everything … including the kitchen sink.