ChiFresh Kitchen In The News!

One of our partners, ChiFresh Kitchen has gotten lots of news coverage lately, considering their business has quadrupled since spring!

As ChiFresh Kitchen was preparing to launch in March of 2020, they joined our COVID-19 Rapid Response efforts seeking support. It’s safe to say, it paid off, Our Squad was born! CFPAC facilitated collaboration between ChiFresh Kitchen, Urban Growers Collective, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, Las Visionarias Cooperative, Grow Greater Englewood, Majani Catering, and Midwest Foods to address access to healthy and culturally-rooted meals and produce. ChiFresh Kitchen sources many of their ingredients from farms like Urban Growers Collective to prepare and deliver freshly cooked meals to families experiencing food insecurity.

CFPAC brought together funders to resource the squad’s work, keeping folks in business and meals on the table. We have a tremendous amount of gratitude to the Chicago Region Food System Fund for funding this squad and several other food security efforts across the city. To learn more about this fund and other grantees, check out their instagram, as they have had organizations take over their social media.

Congrats on being seen and heard ChiFresh!! Check out this WGN coverage that goes over their beginnings and recent success -

“CHICAGO — Looking for a fresh start, four formerly incarcerated women sought out their passion and started a business that would intersect passion and community.

‘ChiFresh Kitchen’ did not start as the operation that prepares 300 meals before 10 a.m. on a regular basis.

“We started off at 50 meals a week to over 2,000 a week,” co-owner Sarah Stadtfeld said.

The four women have worked alongside each other every weekday morning since May, cooking, baking and packaging hundreds of meals for delivery across Chicago.

Stadtfeld said finding a job after leaving prison was difficult, and left her wondering about her options.

“I came out scared and it was tough trying to find a job. Putting down that you’re a felon is hard…you gotta check that box and it’s hard,” Stadtfeld said.

A recent study shows 44 percent of formerly incarcerated Black women are unemployed, compared to 18 percent of formerly incarcerated white men.

Business consultant Camille Kerr looked to steer Stadtfeld toward starting her own business.

“They were like yeah, I always dreamed of starting a business but I didn’t know where to start, so those barriers are real,” Kerr said.

Kerr brought the women together to create a business plan to allow them to work and share the profits equally.

‘ChiFresh Kitchen’ works with community partners, such as the Urban Growers Collective and the Chicago Food Policy Action Council in helping address the emergency food needs that have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their business has quadrupled since the spring, quickly outgrowing their 600 square foot kitchen at The Hatchery.

This fall, ChiFresh Kitchen plans to move into a 6,000 square foot facility at 71st Street and King Drive.

“We’re really excited to create a new community asset that’s around healthy, affordable, nutritious and delicious food,” Kerr said.

For the women involved, ChiFresh Kitchen represents a great passion and a second chance.

“People like us that were formerly incarcerated that see this on the news feel like they have a chance. There are some good people out there that will help you,” Stadtfeld said.”