There is a grassroots movement underway to establish a different kind of community soup kitchen in Buffalo. Traditionally soup kitchens are known for simply offering sustenance to people who are hard on their luck. The concept behind SOLE of Buffalo takes that idea to an entirely different level, starting with nutritional community building, and feeding the soul. SOLE of Buffalo’s Dharma Kitchen and Prana Pantry will focus on seasonal, organic, local, ethical and non-religious ways for people to get quality food when they need it most, while learning a few key ethical practices along the way.
In addition to learning about the food that they are eating, people walking through the doors will also be introduced to a variety of skill-building resources that they might not have access to, in order to better their lives. Can you imagine coming to SOLE of Buffalo for a healthy meal, and walking out with experience in growing food, repairing clothes, cooking and baking, knitting and crocheting, preserving food, quilting and easy home repairs? SOLE of Buffalo will also incorporate ethical standards into all of its practices, including composting and recycling, in order to pass on social values to those who continue to take our environment for granted.
“We believe that access to local, sustainable, delicious, nutritious, and culturally relevant food is a universal right, regardless of socioeconomic status or race. We support all local gardening and food production efforts and promote the growth of seasonal, organic, local, and ethical food throughout the Western New York area through our website and social media presence. Our work is important to WNY because we strengthen both community health and local economies by increasing relationships between local farmers and the community and between the community and healthful foods.” – SOLE of Buffalo
At this point, the SOLE of Buffalo team has embarked upon a $100,000 fund sourcing Indiegogo campaign. Take a look at the pitch below, and be sure to check out ways that you can help to bring this project to fruition (click here). You can also learn more about the initiative on Facebook.