SOULCIAL KITCHEN

Develop a range of skills 

We Provide Hot Meals To Those That Need It

"The mission is, working together we can make stronger communities. Power of food as a tool. We wanna in our small way be a source of light to people. We’re using food to connect other people, to create a sense of community and create a sense of together. We are going to make a difference"
John Michel
Find Out More at: https://soulcialkitchen.com/
Watch Our Food Is Love Video Feature: https://www.pbs.org/video/soulcial-kitchen-suh8wh/

What is the Soulcial Kitchen?

Our Narrative: A One of a Kind Story

Once upon a time, in a city bustling with foodies and aspiring entrepreneurs, there was a need for a program that would provide a pathway to success for those interested in starting their own small hospitality business. The solution came in the form of a food truck apprenticeship pilot program, designed to offer comprehensive training and support to those seeking to enter the mobile food industry.

The program was structured around a core curriculum that covered all aspects of food truck operations, from menu development and marketing to health and safety regulations. Participants would receive hands-on experience in a fully equipped food truck, working alongside experienced mentors who would guide them through the learning process.

But the program was not just about learning the skills necessary to operate a successful food truck. It was also designed to provide a trained cadre for a food truck commissary, a shared kitchen space where graduates of the program could prepare their food and access the resources they needed to start their own micro-enterprises.
The vision was ambitious, but the team behind the program knew that with dedication and hard work, they could establish a foundation for local and regional small hospitality business incubation and development. And so, they set to work, recruiting participants from all walks of life, including socioeconomically challenged individuals and veterans.

As the program progressed, it became clear that it was achieving its goals. Graduates of the program were not only equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to operate their own food trucks, but they were also ready to take on the challenges of entrepreneurship. With the support of the program's mentors and resources, they were able to establish multiple micro-enterprises, offering a diverse range of cuisine and adding to the vibrancy of the local food scene.

But the impact of the program went beyond just the individuals who participated. By establishing the first local, regional, state, and national standards of performance for food truck training, the program set a new benchmark for excellence in the industry. And with the growth and proliferation of diverse new opportunities for small business ownership, the program laid the groundwork for a more inclusive and equitable economy, providing a pathway to success for those who may have previously been overlooked.

In the end, the success of the food truck apprenticeship pilot program was a testament to the power of education, mentorship, and community support. By providing a comprehensive training program and the resources necessary for success, the program established a foundation for the growth and development of a thriving small business community, one that would continue to flourish for years to come.

Who We Are & What We Do...

At Soulcial Kitchen, we have created a community centric platform that provides an array of diverse services and capabilities, such as:  A Mobile food truck park capable of supporting 5-7 food trucks/trailers; an outdoor pavilion and picnic space; a community concert venue; a dog park; bar and indoor restaurant and bar service; and a catering service. We are also focusing on helping would-be food truck entrepreneurs, with specific emphasis placed on assisting veterans and low-to-moderate income individuals who are seeking to either supplement their incomes, become economically self-sufficient, or to grow an already-existing home-based small food/catering business.

Additionally, food prepared in the Soulcial Kitchen mobile food trucks serve as an
innovative and agile means of reaching and serving those experiencing food
insecurity throughout the county via our proprietary Currency of Caring
wholesale token system, which has been deployed across the county.  The tokens for the Currency of Caring can be
purchased at wholesale ($8 for a full hot, nutritional meal including a primary
protein and accompanying side dish and drink with tax included) and can be provided
to anyone who may be experiencing levels of food insecurity and are redeemable
(at no cost to the presenter) at any of the Soulcial Kitchen food trucks
operating in the community. Additionally, this simple system can be adopted by
any/all county food pantries as a means of providing hot food to clients
Monday-Saturday (currently the single biggest challenge all local food pantries
encounter). 
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Soup Kitchens Reinvented

With the ability to penetrate any food desert and access any neighborhood, provide services to any event, festival and business throughout not only the Belleville community but the entire St. Louis region, we see food trucks as the most efficient, agile, and cost-effective means of serving people and communities experiencing food insecurity across America.2 What is needed to activate this abundant capacity is a simple means of exchange that provides an economic incentive to food truck operators and is easily transferrable to those in need of assistance as well as the establishment of a supportive and nurturing system. This starts with the foundation of the Currency of Caring® and includes a training academy, commissary, ghost kitchen, and Food Truck deployment. Soulcial Kitchen has created the perfect and simple solution for the means of exchange in the Currency of Caring®

The development and deployment of the currency of caring serves as a simple, tokenized meal system that allows citizens, businesses, and local and regional governments to participate in feeding those in need of hot, healthy meals. Each token costs $8, with proceeds going to the mobile truck operator who provides the meal to the respective customer. In effect, creating an economic incentive for food truck owners (or brick and mortar operators) to participate in the program.

One of the greatest advantages of this simple tokenized system is that it makes giving to those in need safe as the token can only be used at all participating food trucks and brick and mortar restaurants for food…nothing else (each token equals one full meal of choice, including a primary protein, side, and a drink). This program has been expanded to positively impact communities at scale via our Feed Thy Neighbor effort, where our food trucks deliver at least 100-125 meals to a designated neighborhood/people group every time we collect 100 tokens from donors. No waste. No red tape. Simply great food delivered on time, on target, for free.
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