Wednesday, July 15, 2020 2-5pm or UNTIL FOOD RUNS OUT FREE

On Havana Street Stakeholders Giving Back – Food Kitchen Collective Event

Check out the social media highlights about the event here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17968691224308914/

SHAREABLE FLYERS HERE:

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Mission Statement:

To raise donations to purchase high quality, culturally appropriate food directly from local small businesses and donate it to families, individuals and organizations in need and bring dollars directly back into our local economy.

Core Values:

1. Work together as a collective of non-profit and for-profit organizations to benefit our local small businesses, non-profits and community.
2. Help Local Small Businesses thrive in our community by generating a revenue stream that promotes giving back to our most vulnerable community members.
3. Help families and individuals in need by providing high quality, prepared meals.
4. Grow our Local Economy by bring local dollars Directly back into our city.

Who We Are:

Food Kitchen Collective is a Co-Op of local organizations working together to support small business be the engine of change in our community. Working directly with Restaurants and Grocery stores Food Kitchen Collective collect harness the power of local businesses to bring high quality food directly to families in need.

What We Do:

Food Kitchen Collective works by purchasing high quality food directly from local small business owners and donating it directly to local families and individuals in need.  By doing so we support local small businesses grow and thrive, help to support our friends, families, and neighbors in need, and bring dollars back into our local economy to grow our community.

How We Do it:

1. By Creating direct donation days, in which we purchase and receive donations from restaurants to collect food to be donated directly to families, individuals and organizations in need
2. By Creating relationships with local restaurants to develop a meal/menu that can be made in bulk at an agreed price point, Restaurants can offer for patrons to be able to purchase a meal for families in need when they are dining in. As well as host dine-out night where restaurants can donate a percentage back to FKC.  (The Donation Menu)
3. By Creating relationships with local grocers to purchase food and to capture food that may go to waste and redistribute into the community helping grocery store reduce waste(loss) through tax deductions.
4. By using donations to purchase in bulk meals from restaurants and grocers generating income for the small business and donate it to families, individuals, or organizations in need. By providing prepared meals to families in need, we help not only feed our communities most vulnerable, but we take some take burden off their shoulder.

How We communicate it to our Supporters:

Tag Line:

A Supporting Small Business Food Drive

Social Media Tags:

1. #FoodKitchenCollective
2. #1000Tables

Donate here: www.foodkitchencollective.com

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:      Karlyn K. Shorb                         Date: June XX, 2020

720-309-9415

Aurora sister cities partners with small businesses on havana street to give back while supporting the local economy

AURORA, Colo. – On July 15, 2020, three partner organizations – Aurora Sister Cities International, On Havana Street and Visit Aurora- will work with local small businesses “On Havana Street” to kick-off “Food Kitchen Collective,” a very special kind of food drive.

Food Kitchen Collective works by purchasing high quality food directly from small business owners “On Havana Street” and donating it to local families and individuals in need.  By doing so, we help our local small businesses thrive; support our friends, families and neighbors in need; and bring needed dollars back into our local economy to grow our community.

To kick off this new cooperative, Aurora restaurants and businesses will be contributing 1000 bags of food that will be handed out to anyone in need on July 15^th from 2:00-6:00pm at the Stampede parking lot at 2430 South Havana St., Aurora, CO 80014.  The Food Kitchen Collective is also collecting food from the community. Anyone who can is invited to stop by and drop off any non-perishable food, diapers, toiletries and personal protective equipment in support of our community.

“The On Havana Street corridor is a true reflection of one of Aurora’s most valuable assets—our diversity.  As an organization that fosters cultural understanding and exchange, this was a natural partnership for us because we have been looking for ways to support our local businesses, as well as our communities of color through the COVID-19 crisis” says Karlyn Shorb, Executive Director of Aurora Sister Cities International.  “The purpose of this drive is three-fold: first, to showcase the amazing array and diversity of restaurants On Havana Street; second, to generate revenue for these businesses to help them stay in business through the crisis; and third, to give back in a culturally appropriate way to individuals who are struggling with food insecurity through the crisis” adds Chance Horiuchi, On Havana Street’s business improvement district’s head.

Partner grocers, restaurants and other “On Havana Street” businesses involved in the cooperative include DaeGee , H-Mart, Midopa Mart (aka. “M-Mart”), Law Office of Lee, Myers and O’Connell, Seoul Korean BBQ and Hot Pot, Seoul Mandoo, The Stampede, Thank Sol Pocha K-Pub, and Uncle Maddio’s Pizza. We anticipate this list to grow.

If you would like more information on how you can donate, volunteer or support this cause, or if you own a restaurant and would like to know how you can participate, please see our website for more information: AuroraSisterCities.org/FoodKitchenCollective.

About Aurora Sister Cities International

Aurora Sister Cities International is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that promotes mutually beneficial local and global partnerships centered on international trade, and cultural and educational exchange.  Aurora Sister Cities International is closely affiliated with the city of Aurora and acts as the city of Aurora’s liaison with its various partner cities, establishes new global friendship and sister city partnerships on behalf of the city, creates an international business network between Aurora and its sister and friendship cities, and facilitates mutually beneficial trade opportunities through other strategic global partnerships. In addition to its work with the city of Aurora, Aurora Sister Cities International works at a community level and engages in activities that promote cultural awareness and international exchange.  ASCI accomplishes those goals by engaging a corps of committed, globally minded volunteers who support our global sister city initiatives, perform various activities that highlight Aurora’s diaspora communities, and engage in cultural and educational exchange activities that build relationships and trust.

About On Havana Street

The Havana Business Improvement District (dba as On Havana Street) is a special district created in 2007 by business and neighborhood leaders and Aurora city staff. The district encompasses the 4.3-mile stretch of the corridor from 6^th Avenue to Dartmouth Avenue along Arapahoe County, in the Denver/Aurora border in Colorado. This global district offers experiences in the arts, shopping, dining, living & MORE. We are a special district created to provide advocacy programming, benefits to business & commercial properties located along the Havana corridor, branding, marketing, economic vitality/development, special events and a district identity for the area. There are 209 real commercial properties and approximately 20 shopping centers with over 600 diverse businesses in this district. On Havana Street has increased sales tax revenue from $12M in 2008 to $21M in 2019 for the City of Aurora.

About Visit Aurora

Visit Aurora is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Aurora, Colorado and acts as the primary liaison between meeting planners and hotel partners.  As Aurora’s convention and visitor’s bureau, Visit Aurora’s mission is grounded in showcasing Aurora as a premier destination for meetings, business, and leisure travel. Visit Aurora represents more than 65 hotel properties with 13,000+ guestrooms, and more than 1 million square feet of meeting space, including Colorado’s largest and newest resort, Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.

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