Voices
Share the stories of people you know that are doing good things in your community.
VOICES - People Doing Good Things in the World!
“I am the Executive Director at Interfaith Sanctuary, an emergency shelter located in Boise, Idaho. I did not have a plan to do this work—it came and found me through a series of life events. When my dad passed away, I came back to Boise. I found a tent city had formed on the backside of Interfaith Sanctuary. Many believed that this was a group of rule breakers who were choosing to live outside to avoid the rules and structure of a shelter. What I saw was a group of people who needed supportive services, compassion and care. I decided to find a way to deliver those services directly to them in their tent city.
Because of the work I did with this group, a job was offered to me, inviting me to bring the lessons learned from this population to Interfaith and help create a better kind of shelter. At Interfaith Sanctuary, we step in to provide shelter to anyone in need to the best of our ability. Our emergency shelter is a unique model in one of the fastest growing areas of the country. We provide wraparound services to our guests and aim to transition people out of homelessness as housing becomes available.
Interfaith Sanctuary Shelter serves people of all genders, races, religions, and sexual orientations, as well as families with children. Our work intersects with social issues communities face across the country, and at the center of it all is the fact that even small acts of kindness can change lives in big ways.”
Check out Jodi Peterson-Stigers and Interfaith Sanctuary at https://interfaithsanctuary.org/
Heather MacCleoud is the founder and CEO of the Asherah Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and support to women pursuing higher education around the world.
MacCleoud recognizes the profound loss that occurs when women aren’t afforded equal
opportunity in education. “Too many women have to give up dreams of getting a degree or certification. Some start the journey and drop out. Others never make it to the front door. They have families and financial obligations. They are interrupted by health challenges, political disruption, and war. The world has lost trillions of dollars and significant advances in health, culture, sustainable development, and governance as these women are kept out of higher education.”
MacCleoud started the Asherah Foundation to combat this problem. “Once we realized that no one was advocating for these women, we decided that ‘we would be the change we want to see’ and do it ourselves. We envision a world where every woman at any age is able to achieve her educational dreams.”
All recipients of scholarships from the organization demonstrate leadership and resilience in the face of obstacles like poverty, war, forced marriage, and gender
discrimination. “We provide opportunities through education, with women who have not been able to support or afford this on their own. Each woman we support helps others simply by becoming an example of what is possible.”
MacCleoud urges women to “never give up” on their educational dreams. One of her favorite quotes belongs to Nelson Mandela, who said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Learn more about the Asherah Foundation on Instagram at @asherahfoundation or at https://www.asherahfoundation.org/.
Chef Tara Punzone pioneered the first fully plant-based Italian restaurant and wine bar in the United States. Pura Vita, located in West Hollywood, offers traditional Italian dishes made with organic and plant-based ingredients. The restaurant also offers gluten-free pasta and bread options.
Punzone is proud to combine her Italian heritage and passion for sustainability with her love of cooking. “I have an undeniable passion for veganism and my cultural tradition, I cannot imagine doing anything else! I am lucky to do what I do every day and share my traditional Italian dishes with the community.”
She ensures that Pura Vita runs as a sustainable business in several ways. “Pura Vita is 100% plant-based therefore not contributing to the negative effects of animal agriculture. We also go out of our way to only use organic plant-based soaps and detergents and never use plastic for any of our take away. All of our take away containers and utensils are compostable.”
Punzone encourages others to be more mindful about how the environmental impact of the food they eat. “Eating sustainably is one of the most important decisions you can make for your lifestyle. We have a responsibility to take care of ourselves, our family and our planet. We must always show respect to all other living things.”
In additional to Pura Vita, Punzone has also opened Pura Vita Pizzeria, which serves plant-based Neapolitan-style pizzas and other traditional southern Italian foods, and Pura Vita Redondo Beach, a beach-front location.
Check out Tara Punzone and Pura Vita on Instagram at @cheftarapunzone and @puravita_la or at www.puravitalosangeles.com.
“I’m Shannon Bergstrom, the Sustainability Brand Manager at Recycle Track Systems. Every day, I help companies and individuals understand their impact on the environment and offer guidance on how they can start reducing waste. In the past few years, my focus has primarily been on developing and implementing waste diversion programs for clients, which includes everything from waste metrics reporting, to ensuring they meet compliance with local legislation. One of my favorite projects was the NHL Winter Classic game in 2018 when we were the first waste provider in NHL history to donate the entire hockey rink. This was an incredible feeling. More recently, I have been working on the launch of zerowaste.com, our consumer site which offers zero waste products and guides.
This journey has led me to make immense changes in my own life. The biggest change I have made to reduce my carbon footprint is cutting out meat from my diet. Thrifting is another way I’ve reduced my footprint. Consumers want to work with brands they can trust and companies are taking a closer look at their environmental impact than ever before. My advice is to be as transparent as possible. This means sharing your sustainability reports or disclosing company diversity metrics, for example. I think the pandemic has given a lot of people a deeper appreciation for our environment and a deeper understanding of how our actions impact the environment. It will become increasingly important for businesses to embrace practices that are good for the environment, their employees, and their communities.”
Check out Recycle Track Systems at @rtsgreen or at https://www.rts.com/
Seema Lisa Pandya is a visual artist, sustainability expert, and professor of sustainable design who uses her artwork to explore the intersection between sustainability, art, culture, and the built environment. From interactive kinetic sculptures and public art to fractal paintings and video animations, Pandya uses an array of art forms to help her audience better connect with nature.
"The journey of making sustainable art is one of inquiry that has no end and infinite amount of lenses. Artists have the opportunity to inquire about time, space, physics, life, death, consumption, sacred geometry, cyclicality, cooperation, and so much more. I can only hope that my art impacts an audience to connect more deeply and emotionally with the beauty of nature. For example, the `Tabla Sculpture Series` aims to celebrate used discarded materials as metaphorical cells of natural forms."
In addition to her environmentally focused artwork, Pandya has over 15 years of experience as a sustainability consultant.
"I work with building teams to make better design and construction decisions for buildings. The results are building environments that use much less energy and create renewable energy; reclaim, reduce, and reuse water; sites that need no irrigation and don’t add to the heat island effect; materials used that promote clean air and are healthy for occupants; materials that have longer lifespans and reduced carbon footprints; occupants that have greater equity to daylight views and health; and construction practices that reduce waste and protect workers from toxic exposure, as just a few examples."
Check out Seema Lisa Pandya at www.seemalisapandya.com or on Instagram at @seemalisapandya
"I’ve always considered myself more of an activist than a businessperson. I was a government major in college, and assumed the best way to change things was through politics. After working on a presidential campaign and serving as a Senator’s press secretary, I prefer to be closer to the action. One of the best ways to create a mission-driven brand is to start by asking yourself, if we were a non-profit, what would our desired impact be? At Honest Tea, those answers were to help shift people away from high-calorie drinks, to promote organic agriculture, and to help grower communities in India, China, Africa and Paraguay create community wealth.
We call ourselves a Chef-crafted, Planet-based food company, because we have to remember taste comes first. I’ve met entrepreneurs who get so excited about their
mission but they fail to prioritize taste, ultimately disappointing consumers who were willing to give them a try. So never forget about taste!
One of my favorite quotes is a Chinese proverb, “If we don’t change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going.” If we don’t move toward planet-friendly diets, climate change is only going to accelerate, so “Eat the Change” is a call to action and to personal responsibility."
Check out Eat the Change at https://eatthechange.com/ or on Instagram @eatthechange
Massimo Bottura is one of the world’s most creative culinary forces. He has become a leading figure amongst a new generation of Italian chefs, advocating for equitable food systems, thanks to his work as an innovator and restaurateur. He has opened two restaurants in Modena, Italy, within the culinary-rich region of Emilia-Romagna: Osteria Francescana, which was awarded a third Michelin Star in 2012, and the offshoot brasserie, Franceschetta58. Massimo Bottura’s restaurant, Osteria Francescana, is considered the best restaurant in Italy and one of the most influential in the world.
Read the full article at https://moodofliving.com/massimo-bottura-chef-creating-equitable-food-systems/
Check out Osteria Francescana at https://osteriafrancescana.it/
"At Laboratoria, we are working to shape a more diverse, inclusive and competitive digital economy in Latin America that can create opportunities for every woman to develop her potential. We do this by providing an immersive six-month bootcamp in technical and life skills for women from underserved backgrounds who have not been able to start a professional career yet. After the program we connect our students with quality software developer and UX designer jobs where they can kick-start their careers, and foster a strong community of alumnae who support each other’s growth as future leaders of the tech sector. Our graduates are building transformational careers for themselves in tech, while filling in the enormous talent and gender gap in the sector and contributing to its inclusive growth.
Since our launch in Lima, Peru in 2014, Laboratoria has scaled to open training centers in Chile, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. We have trained over 1,800 women, placing 79% of them in tech jobs in Latin America and abroad. We are now a source of talent for over 600 leading companies across sectors and industries, from retail and banking to logistics and fintech. Through our work we are helping all sorts of organizations-from large corporations to tech startups and software factories-find the technical talent they need to grow their teams while bringing the diversity that helps build better work cultures and products.
Over the next three years, Laboratoria will continue to expand throughout Latin America, training thousands of women across the region through a now fully remote program to work and grow in tech. Through our work we want to revert the disadvantages women from underserved backgrounds have faced to access quality jobs in the growing digital economy, and contribute to build a more equitable future in the region."
Learn more about Laboratoria at https://www.laboratoria.la/en or on Instagram @laboratoriala
"At Pizza Barbone, we are dedicated to using only fresh seasonal ingredients and making as much of our product from scratch, we take care in the food we create starting with the non-GMO "00" flour we import from Italy all the way down to making every spoon of gelato, splash of dressing and ladle of sauce in-house. Our pizza is baked in a handcrafted Stefano Ferrara oven, which was built from scratch by third generation oven -makers out of rock and ash from Mt. Vesuvius and covered in hand painted glass tiles before being shipped from Naples, Italy. This is the labor of love we call Pizza Barbone.
Ask any of our customers and they’ll tell you at the heart of that love is the owner-duo Jason and Ali O’Toole. Chef Jason was born and raised on Cape Cod, but left at the young age of 17 to pursue a phenomenal opportunity interning at Le Cirque in New York City. He later completed his studies at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY and trained at many renowned restaurants thereafter. In 2010, Jason met Ali; his partner in love, life and pizza. Ali shared Jason’s passion for food and travel and set off starting Pizza Barbone’s traveling pizza oven catering business together right from the start. After finding much success with their mobile pizza oven, together Jason & Ali opened the Pizza Barbone restaurant on Main St. Hyannis, MA in 2012 where they have since enjoyed talking with as many of theirs guests as they can and looking forward to all of the years of Neapolitan pizzas they will be bringing to the visitors, residents and customers of Pizza Barbone with their awesome staff."
Visit Pizza Barbone at http://www.pizzabarbone.com/ or on Instagram @pizzabarbone
Originally from New Jersey, Matt White is the founder of the sustainable shipping container hotel Flophouze. He started his journey by delving into antiques, architecture and container research around 20 years ago after seeing a lack of travel accommodations in the small town of Round Top. Now, he has brought international recognition to the town and environmentally friendly lodging to guests that come from around the world. The hotel is made from recycled materials; even the pools—partnered with ModPools—are made from old shipping containers.
Flophouze Hotel has transformed recycled shipping containers into a unique lodging experience in Round Top, Tx. Born from pure wanderlust, and an inherited obligation to reuse, the hotel provides a treasure chest of worldly artifacts and salvaged designs from the past. From the countertops collected from an old Texas bowling alley to the kitchen cabinets gathered from an old Brooklyn laboratory to vintage fixtures that have traveled the world, a focus on sustainability has woven itself into every element of the hotel. If only walls could talk!
Flophouze Hotel provides guests an opportunity to slow down, relax into comfort, and find appreciation for both the past and present.
Check out Flophouze at https://flophouze.com/ or on Instagram @theflophouze
"When we started b.a.r.e. soaps in 2013, we did it with the intention creating a sustainable
cash flow through selling soap to fund causes we believed in. Fast forward to 8 years later, we’ve pivoted to focus on sustainability, but the intention remains the same. Our goal is to embody what a “sustainable first small business” could look like. We make it easy for the consumer to go plastic free in the shower but it’s really more than just about reducing plastic.
We make it easy for our consumers to recycle our packaging. Our shipping labels are recyclable and our boxes are designed to be as snug as possible because a box that minimizes dead space = smaller carbon footprint.
We think about how we can use our profits to further the following: Carbon sequestration, Biodiversity, Reforestation, and Environmental Justice."
b.a.r.e. soaps continues to be a “side hustle” which allows us to donate nearly all of our profits at year end. For more information on our “sustainable first” journey, you can follow us on Instagram @baresoap
Wellmade was created by Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte, a not for profit, private foundation that promotes Italian craftsmanship. The aim is to promote and share the culture of quality of the handmade objects, and to bring together the different businesses that are daily engaged in enhancing and supporting high-end craftsmanship.
What is well made, with hands and heart, is different and of a higher value. Finding the best quality, though, is not always easy. Here is where Wellmade can be helpful: thanks to its ongoing research for excellent artisans and through a system of passionate users’ reviews and ambassadors’ advice, Wellmade aims at becoming your most reliable advisor. Wellmade means researching and sharing all what is “well made”, in order to help and support you in your choice of quality and value.
Wellmade is a not for profit project, and it provides artisans free visibility on both the website and the app, as well as on social media, by spreading the excellence of the artisans featured on the platform, and by creating advertising campaigns and digital contents focused on their work and products. Wellmade supports artisans and help them to communicate their brand in the digital world.
Visit Wellmade at https://www.well-made.it/en/ and on Instagram @wellmadeit @fondazionecologni
Kelly Murphy, founder of Refillery LA, was determined to reduce her plastic footprint. When she couldn’t find a solution in her neighborhood, she decided to create her own. She converted her van into a refillery on wheels, and now serves West Los Angeles with non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning and personal care products. The concept goes back to the “milk-man” days; simply bring your own container (BYOC) and fillas much or as little product as you need. Refill, reuse, repeat.
With only 9% of plastic being recycled, refilling helps keep plastic packaging waste out of our landfills and waterways. Kelly will drive to your house and all you have to do is bring your containers out and have anything you need for the week refilled-shampoo, laundry detergent, dish soap, and so on. With Covid, Kelly is doing no-contact house calls as well. Her original, mobile, refill shop is making sustainability so easy and possible in a covid world where it`s too easy to just order all personal care and home products for delivery. But the best part is Kelly’s passion to inspire others. Her adoration for taking care of the earth is incredibly moving!
If you’re in the LA area and looking for ways to make your shopping easier and more
sustainable, check out @refilleryla or www.refilleryla.com
In 2017, Matt Jozwiak founded Rethink Food, a not-for-profit whose mission is to reduce food insecurity with practical solutions that will have lasting impact. Rethink Food develops distribution models, including partnering with restaurants, to provide nutritionally dense, culturally sensitive meals for underserved communities.
With food insecurity escalating and restaurants facing widespread closures during the pandemic, Rethink Food leveraged its experience as a food rescue and distribution model to launch Rethink Certified, a partnership program that provides grants and resources to local restaurants, so they can prepare community meals as a part of their daily operation. The purpose is twofold: feed local communities and keep restaurants in business, not just in times of crisis. Since the launch of the program in April 2020, Rethink Food has provided over 2.5 million meals for those impacted by food insecurity, partnered with 55 restaurants, and invested over $12M into local restaurants and communities. Rethink Food also utilizes two other practical models to reduce food insecurity across communities: The Rethink Café, a donation-based cafe that invites everyone to enjoy a nutritious meal for a suggested donation of $5, and the Rethink Commissary, which converts donated food items into nutritious meals to deliver to CBOs at no cost. Most recently, Rethink Food launched the #RethinkPledge, a collective initiative built to fuel the organization’s Rethink Certified model, by calling on restaurants, chefs, brands and world leaders to commit to driving lasting change in our food system.
For more information, visit rethinkfood.org.
Follow @rethinkfood on: Instagram, Facebook & Twitter
.
Jake Black has 17 years of combined brewery and restaurant experience. Born and raised in Boise, Jake started his first business at the age of 14. From his hospitality & restaurant management degree to his years of experience in creating marketing campaigns, sales and distribution plans, and community engagement initiatives for some of Boise`s most iconic establishments; Jake found his calling in the small business world that he wanted to continue to develop. These experiences led Jake on the path to opening a locally committed brewery.
In the fall of 2017 Jake and his two Business partners Kylie Bolland and James Hixon, along with their community investment group, opened the doors to Lost Grove Brewing.
Lost Gove is a brewery focused on creating delicious beer, bringing the community together, and setting an example to other businesses that it is possible to maintain success while also giving back and bringing value to your community. Lost Grove Brewing encourages its stakeholders and employees to find their lost groves, where they feel most happy and in the moment. Pending B-Corp approval and certification, Lost Grove Brewing prioritizes and constantly strives for better practices in sustainability, community engagement, and how they treat their employees.
Check out Lost Grove Brewing at @lost_grove_brew or www.lostgrovebrewing.com
Casey is a classically trained pastry chef with over 10 years experience in the industry all over the US. She was laid off from her job back in July 2020; Covid shut downs hit restaurants extremely hard and she was one of many that were out of work. She decided to take to social media and offer to bake for anyone that was interested, and has been busy ever since.
Working with fresh and high quality ingredients has always been the driving factor in the desserts she creates. Her style is very simple and classic, with the focus on flavor.
As she says, “It’s important to me that my work serves a bigger collective. Sure, it’s just cake, but I always try to source my ingredients as locally as possible by shopping at the farmers market. Not only does that mean I’m using the best and freshest ingredients, but I’m also able to support our local farmers and their farm workers, who have been working tirelessly throughout this pandemic to continue to support our food systems.”
She has also used her baking to support nonprofits that she believes in: Black Lives Matter LA, Gathering for Justice, and Black Women for Wellness are just a few of the organizations that her bake sales have raised money for.
Check out her creations at @caseyannshea
"I am the owner of a sweet little food company called Salty Baby LA. We do catering, pop ups, teaching events, and, since the pandemic, we have pivoted to Zoom cooking classes and demonstrations. We make food from scratch, and don’t cut corners with quality. We believe in whole grains, organic sugar, natural colors and butter! We believe in quality over quantity. We believe in local farmers, humanely raised meats, and sustainable seafood. We specialize in homestyle food and alternative sources. We like our breads slow fermented and our olive oil unfiltered. We like to taste the molasses in our sugar, the bran in our flour, and the olives in our olive oil. We believe in taking care of our staff, so that they are happy providing you with excellent service. We limit our plastic as much as we can, because we love the Earth. We love to cook. And we love to feed you!"
Check out Salty Baby LA at https://www.saltybabyla.com/ or on Instagram @saltybabyla
Chef Ben Bebenroth believes that changing how we connect with food, as individuals and as a society, can save the world. That eating regionally and seasonally is one of the most impactful actions we can take for our planet. That the link between soil health, nutrient density and community vibrancy couldn’t be more important. This reverence for the role of food in systemic change drives everything that we do at Spice Hospitality Group.
Spice Catering Co.’s event menus change with the seasons, highlighting our regional harvest. Our immersive Plated Landscape™ dinner seasons invites guests to “eat where it grows” and interact with the farms and farmers that provide their food. Keep The Change Kitchen Collective strives to make it easier for people to eat well all week without the burden of meal prep + cleanup.
Our nonprofit sister organization, Spice Field Kitchen, provides “revolutionary food engagement” to our community, giving people the tools they need to grow, prepare, and choose nourishing foods. Spice Acres, Ben’s family farm in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, practices perennial + regenerative agriculture and invites people to come out and see how food is grown; pick just-ripe crops including asparagus, raspberries, and log-grown mushrooms; and celebrate life’s occasions surrounded by natural beauty, complemented by thoughtfully prepared food.
Spice Headquarters
@spiceheadquarters on IG / @spicekandb on Facebook
Spice Field Kitchen
@spicefieldkitchen on FB + IG
Keep The Change Kitchen Collective
@keepthechangecle on FB + IG
Susan Malone is a Baltimore artist and Executive Director of Wide Angle Youth Media, where she has been employed since 2003. Her passion lies in Wide Angle’s mission to amplify voices of Baltimore youth to engage audiences across generational, cultural, and social divides—inspiring creativity and instilling confidence in young people and empowering them with skills to navigate school, career, and life.
Through her dedication and leadership, she has steadily instituted program and revenue growth, and has shared her student’s digital media projects across the globe. To date, over 6,180 youth have participated in Wide Angle programs, and more than 2 million audience members have viewed their work. Susan is a firm believer in systemic equity and the power of youth voice, and is driven to help build the next creative class of civic leaders through innovative workforce development initiatives. In addition to her work at Wide Angle, she shares her years of expertise as a guest lecturer, strategic advisor for nonprofits and businesses, and has served on a variety of community and grants panels including four years of service as a Maryland State Arts Council Grants Panelist. In 2019 she received the S’Park Media Mentor Award from Ithaca College and in 2020, she was recognized by the Daily Record as one of MD’s Most Admired CEOs.
Check out their website and Instagram: https://www.wideanglemedia.org and @wideangleyouthmedia
Food Recovery Network (FRN) unites and supports young leaders in the fight against food waste and hunger in America. Since 2011, FRN students have recovered nearly 5 million pounds of food that would otherwise go to waste from their campus cafeterias and local restaurants to donate to hungry Americans. Regina Anderson joined as the Executive Director in 2015 and since then has led the vision and strategy behind FRN`s movement. Regina brings over a decade of leadership development and anti-poverty experience in the nonprofit sector with a commitment rooted in social justice.
Under her leadership she brings all of the various people within a community together to promote equitable food access and end food waste and therefore the harm we cause to our environment when we throw away good food. FRN`s mission has always been critical, but pandemic has proven, if there ever was a doubt, that the food system isn`t working for everyone as people are losing jobs and homes and have less access to food and healthy meals. As a result, food insecurity is rising at levels many have never experienced before, and is expected to affect millions of Americans this year. Regina believes we can all do something today, and tomorrow to help build a better community for us all.
Check out their website and Instagram: https://www.foodrecoverynetwork.org/ and @foodrecovery
"I’m Jimmy Hallyburton, the Co-founder and Executive Director of the Boise Bicycle Project (BBP). I remember pedaling down my dirt driveway, turning onto the paved road for the first time as a child and feeling like my entire world expanded. We started BBP in 2007 with a belief that every human in Boise should have access to that same feeling of pedal-powered community-connecting freedom. Since then, we`ve given life to almost 20,000 broken bicycles, including 8253 bicycles fixed and distributed to children, and we`ve helped 10,000s learn how to fix their own bicycles. In the process of serving the community, we`ve had the tremendous opportunity to share space and experiences with people from all walks of life and from across the globe. Through every interaction, we`ve grown stronger together.
Despite every obstacle the pandemic could throw our way in 2020, our team still distributed over 600 refurbished "dream bicycles" during our 14th annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway. We call them "dream bicycles" because every kid referred to us must first draw a picture of their dream bike. We then use these drawings to select and customize bicycles for each child. Shortly after receiving her dream bike a TV reporter asked one little girl, Braelynn, if she had anything, she wanted to say to viewers... " Yes, I would just like to say thank you to the entire world for my new bike." Then she hopped on her purple and black dream bike with “wings,” aka tassels, and rode away."
Check out their website and Instagram at https://www.boisebicycleproject.org/ and @boisebicycleproject
"Turmeric and Tequila is a blog all about living a healthy, holistic, and balanced lifestyle. I am a certified hormone specialist and am so passionate about helping women feel their best by balancing their bodies. I like to take an integrative approach to health since absolutely everything is connected! My food philosophy is focusing on eating foods that ARE ingredients, not ones that HAVE ingredients. I love food and experimenting in the kitchen finding different ways to replace fake ingredients with nutrient-dense ingredients. Food fuels our bodies each and every day. Once you start fueling it with real foods, every part of your body and mind will start to run more smoothly and you will have more energy to do more of what you love!
I love to share my take on wellness, mindfulness, and gratitude on my blog with tips that have helped me while trying to live a busy life as a 22-year-old. I can tell you firsthand that my life changed once I started viewing the world from a place of gratitude and would love to share that with others."
Check out her website and instagram @turmeric.and.tequila & https://www.turmeric-and-tequila.com
"I thoughtfully designed BŌLS that combine the benefits of colorful superfoods with plant based ingredients that work together to heal. None of the smoothie bases are pre-mixed, cut with fruit juices or contain refined sugars. We make oatmylk and coconut-cashew mylks daily for adaptogen lattes, super shakes, and our delicious signature smoothie BŌLS. Our nutrient dense vegan menu changes often to reflect the seasonal shifts.
Our cafes use reusable and compostable wares for every dish and fill our pantry shelves with local like-minded purveyors. Building an ecologically conscious business is a lot of small changes sustained over time. Each item in our cafes is thoughtfully added to create a synergistic experience. I dream big, on the daily, of serving up Bowls Of Love (BŌL) to all."
Check out their website and Instagram: https://boloflove.com/home and @boloflove
"AFH is one of the largest on-site employers of youth in the City of Boston. By providing jobs, we counteract the risks facing young people one teen at a time. Being able to bring a paycheck home to their families gives teens a major sense of empowerment. It all happens at the Artists For Humanity EpiCenter, which was Boston’s first Platinum LEED-certified facility. We are training our youth in interdisciplinary arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning – or STEAM! – in our studios. In 2020, all 24 seniors graduated high school with a 100% college acceptance rate. We believe that reflects the confidence they gain from having a job and will carry on to future successes.
If I had known everything that goes into building a nonprofit and getting it to this point, I may not have done it! We have been able to get this far because of the value we place on shared learning and the respect we give to the teens when they are listened to and treated as peers. You’ll be amazed at how people rise to the occasion when you have high expectations and give them the chance!"
Check out their website and Instagram: afhboston.org and @afhboston