United Way Partner Program:
The Cookery is an extension of Hope 101's housing and financial education initiatives designed to provide flexible part-time employment opportunities utilizing church kitchens to prepare meals and baked goods for distribution to struggling members of our community. Our teaching kitchens will provide culinary skill training, social stability and a commerce platform highlighting local cottage-law baker's products for sale and distribution along with our own. Providing guidance and exposure to the in-home bakers will serve to financially strengthen those households. Our employees will achieve SERV Safe certification and food cost budget training to prepare them for more stable food service careers. Staffed by our participants, employees, and volunteers, we will cook and offer baked goods and center of the table grab & go meals for donation or for free.
We offer white bread, sourdough loaves and celebration cakes prepared at our Newaygo United Methodist Church Kitchen. Center of the plate entrees including lasagna, pulled pork, enchiladas, chicken pot pie and chicken alfredo will be batch prepared on scheduled days at the Family of God kitchen. Individuals in need will be able to order through our website and pick up their bread and meal from the respective church kitchen at a scheduled time. Our commerce site will allow for retail equivalent donations, however; no donation is required in order to receive product. Surplus product will be distributed through a collaboration with Vera’s House and St. Mark’s. We will also distribute all of our products directly to Love INC, Newaygo’s Rooms of Refuge rotation shelter as an ongoing collaborative arrangement.
What outcomes are we planning to provide? We will provide flexible part-time jobs. We will provide food for free to those experiencing insecurity. We will offer affordable meals to those able to pay. We will help in-home bakers to grow and become more financially stable. We will teach how to cook within a food budget.
About Hope 101 Ministries:
Our five core programs include:
- Housing Programs– We offer both Transitional and Stable Housing programs with terms ranging from 6 months to 2 years. Participants pay an affordable fee that includes an actual home, utilities, internet, food assistance, financial education, mentor support and weekly in-home case management. The desired outcome of this program is to improve participant skills and circumstances to navigate them successfully into long-term traditional housing options.
- Financial Literacy Training – In-home training created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau consisting of four interactive courses from the Your Money Your Goals series. The family learns together in their home with our team.
- High Impact Mentors – We effectively match High Impact Mentors with specialized skills or resources to provide targeted and individualized assistance to participants with high impact barriers.
- SMART Goal Management – Skilled Case managers and mentors provide support and accountability to assist participants in achieving meaningful goals that will further their progress towards self-sufficiency. Case managers also facilitate critical wrap around services that are crucial in removing barriers to success.
- The Cookery – A Hope 101 collaborative enterprise providing baked goods and meals to those experiencing food insecurity. It also provides culinary skills training for participants and gives access to flexible part-time jobs that work around childcare.
