Equal Plates Project’s mission is to source top-quality, fresh produce from local farms and use it to prepare scratch-made, nutritious meals for vulnerable populations in our community.

A NOW grant from WNC Bridge Foundation allowed the organization to research and develop seasonal menus, including hiring a chef consultant from AB-Tech who helped Equal Plates recipe test with local produce and cost out those recipes. Funding also allowed Equal Plates to create 100 free meals per day, often closer to 200, to donate to its partner agencies throughout the summer. “Receiving a NOW grant from WNC Bridge was pivotal for our organization’s development. Equal Plates Project aims to transform top-quality local food into scratch-made meals to share with vulnerable populations, and the support from WNC Bridge allowed us to engage in robust local recipe development,” shares Madi Holtzman, Director of Equal Plates Project.

NOW Grant funding also allowed Equal Plates Project to build new partnerships with the sharing of its meals, including Homeward Bound’s AHOPE, ABCCM Mission, and Western NC Rescue Mission. “These new partnerships broadened our organization’s awareness of food needs in the community and have inspired us to work on solutions to help meet those needs long-term, explains Holtzman In addition, WNC Bridge grant funding also “allowed us to revamp distribution of meals to families in public housing who expressed a heightened need for food support during the summer months while children were not receiving food from school.”

“I am one of the recipients of the meals you have so generously provided to the residents here. Thank you for the delicious food that nourished my body. I enjoyed the knock on my door that announced my lunch; always good food and a pleasure to eat. Thank you again. I appreciate you.”  ~Barbara