Food Here Now - food for all, right here, right now

*** UPDATE #1: We've reached most of our goals for Year 0! We're working on finding a lawyer currently, as well as bumping up our social media presence. Thank you to everyone who has donated, spread the word, or given us advice - we greatly appreciate all of your support. 

Keep an eye out if you're in the Milwaukee area - we'll be serving up some delicious FREE meals and spreading the word about Food Here Now. 

-------------

Food Here Now’s mission is to feed anyone who is hungry, as well as to provide a catalyst for growth in individuals and communities. 

This program will fill a unique need with a profound, rippling impact throughout the individuals and communities being served. Focus will be on bringing food and supplies to those who live in food deserts, those who are affected by disability or otherwise immobile individuals, as well as those affected by hunger, poverty, or homeless. 

Our menu will be diverse, offering freshly prepared dishes, hot and cold, with ingredients that are local to the area. We will have a variety of dishes available to suit different preferences. Food Here Now will have sandwiches and snacks available when on call and after hours. The Food Here Now kitchen will be equipped for preparing and storing any food. FHN hopes to operate 5-6 days a week and will be moving as needed for supplies or specified relief. All will be welcomed a plate at Food Here Now. It will be a place where people can just be themselves and enjoy a good meal.

We believe: 

• Food is a right for everyone, of every status, period

• Food is Love, Love is Food

• Making a difference starts with something small

FHN will start out as an S-CORP, not a nonprofit, solely for the difference in time it would take. People are starving right now, and starting this way  - then converting to 501-C status - will be fastest. We are interested in whatever status allows us to help the most people! It is much easier to be granted nonprofit status if you already have a facility and are already operating, based on the research we have done. All profits will be returned to Food Here Now regardless of tax status.

FHN will commence with caring for the hungry and will then branch out to other services. The other services will be of greater focus after more experience is gained with everyday operations and when funding increases. FHN will provide a loving, nutritious meal to everyone, regardless of status or any other demographic. Being mobile allows FHN to go wherever the need is. Whether it’s a natural disaster or an extreme shortage, Food Here Now will be there!

FHN will begin with permits, licensure, and insurance in California, moving for the same paperwork in other states as time goes on. State permit prices vary by state but it is safe to assume that it will cost at least $500 to operate in a second location. California was chosen as a first location because the need is high there and the temperatures will allow us to work at different times of year. Florida is a likely second location, for the same reasons. FHN will have an RV to be used for living space for the Owner/Operator. The RV will have a concession trailer pull behind to serve as our work space. 

This setup will allow for the Operator to be on call for food pickups, preparation, and serving. On the back of the concession trailer, we will be attaching an external shower for guests to use. We will be making modifications to the vehicles including a cooler box accessible from the outside, that can be stocked with items like fruit and sandwiches for after hours, as well as a locked donation box. There are some friends and other similar organizations that have expressed interest in creating a caravan with FHN to further our mission, as well as providing a traveling support network.

My name is Katrina but I prefer to go by Treenut. I have spent countless hours doing volunteer work that would prepare me for this moment and that assures me that this is the mission that I want to dedicate my life to. 

The most relevant preparation that I have had for this project would be the many years I spent volunteering for the Interchange Food Pantry in Milwaukee, WI, where I helped to serve healthy groceries to our local community.    

Some of the other notable volunteer projects I have been a part of include creating informational bags about women’s health for Planned Parenthood and donating my professional massage skills to White Door, a Wisconsin-based grassroots nonprofit that provides services for the less fortunate. 

I also lived at a commune when I was 19 for a couple of years. During my time there, my breadth of specialized subjects was enhanced, such as wild edibles, plant medicines, manufacturing and sanitation, food processing, cooking for large groups, and wilderness first aid. I’m also conversational in Spanish. In the past, I have worked as a professional line cook as well. All of these skills will be useful in the operation of Food Here Now.

It would be a great honor to repay some of the kindness shown to me when I was less fortunate. Everyone deserves access to food and has a right to be properly fed.

Year Zero

This is our current focus - garnering exposure and funding! FHN is currently working on expanding our social media presence/launching campaigns, networking, and logistics. Food Here Now will be relying on long term funding via donations, sales of FHN merchandise, and fundraising.

    In The First 3 Months We Will:

• Begin shopping and purchasing the appropriate vehicles and supplies

• Acquire a business phone

• Be doing a daily video campaign to attempt to contact and network with Mr. Beast (who is a prominent philanthropist and Youtuber)

• Have a custom logo and stickers completed by a local artist

• Have branded merchandise (T-shirts and stickers) which will be created by the same artist for sale online, with all proceeds going to FHN

• Set up our social media space and update it regularly with our progress

• Consult with lawyers

• Consult with similar organizations

• Set up a Patreon/long term funding

• Legally incorporate 

    After The First 3 Months We Will:

• Renovate/repair the vehicles as needed and installation of kitchen equipment (renovations include installation of locks and cameras, secured donation box, solar panels and batteries, etc.)

• Wrap the FHN RV and trailer in an eye-catching branded graphic by our artist

• Assess to make sure the vehicles and paperwork are up to code (Have permits, licenses, and insurance information reviewed by a lawyer, double check safety and fire equipment and refrigeration, take vehicles to a mechanic to ensure that they are sound)

• Buy supplies and stock the trailer (See “Initial Food Inventory” in budget, supplies will include standard pantry items, as well as whatever food donations can be accrued, as well as kitchen tools, disposables, etc.)

• Logistics and mapping (This will include identifying areas of need, safest and most accessible routes and places to park)

• The Owner/Operator will be taking driving classes appropriate to the class of the vehicles and for pull behinds

• The Owner/Operator will be taking ServSafe classes for food safety

• Consult with marketing experts

• Consult with financial advisors

Year 1

FHN and caravan would travel to California to serve communities in need (later Florida, or anywhere warm that could facilitate our needs). FHN would be in the field for 6-10 months out of the year. We will operate 4-6 days a week, much of this will be dependent on donations and also allowing for meal prep time for the Operator, and some rest. Nutritious meals will be prepared onsite and lovingly served through a window, much like a food truck. Guests will be able to pick up a ticket to shower as well as hygiene packs at the window if they so choose. There will be a hot shower with an extra large hot water heater that will be available for guests to use directly on the back of the Food Here Now rig.

FHN hopes to accept donations of food as well as monetary or other donations. Food donations may be sourced from community gardens, farms, overage from restaurants, or other foraged food. This also reduces food waste! I’m personally able to enrich this part of the program by foraging wild edibles and plant medicines. These will then be stored in the Food Here Now trailer to be prepared as a fresh meal or preserved for a later date.

Year 2 

We hope to start serving a higher quantity and variety of food, as contributions allow, and shift focus to having more hygienic supplies to distribute. 

Year 3 and Beyond

Food Here Now will focus on everything we did in the first years but also shift focus to other goals such as giving out clothing, pet food, seeds, skills teaching, and facilitation for individuals who are interested in helping stimulate small farms or otherwise furthering the mission. 

Bringing interested parties to work on small farms has a multi-faceted result. The obvious benefit is that the farmer will get help during peak season which will increase their production. Another benefit is that the individual/s involved that have volunteered for a small farm helper position will have a safe and legal place to rest, contribute/earn, and have a steady source of resources for the season or as long as the farmer might host them. This model mirrors that of a labor exchange program. Depending upon the yield, FHN could take some of what they have grown to feed even more hungry people!

Cost Breakdown

Small, Simple RV   (May be a model similar to an E350) - $15,000 (Craigslist.com) (Used) 

Pull Behind Concession Trailer (8 x 10 OR 8 x 12) - $15,000 (Ebay.com) (Used)

Labor For Renovation And Upgrades - $10,000

Wrap Artistry - $10,000

Marketing Budget - $10,000 (promotional items like flyers, merchandise; social media management, event costs) 

Startup Licensing And Permits:

• Insurance for Food Truck - $1,300/Y 
• Insurance for RV - $1,200/Y 
• Insurance for Business - $636/Y 
• Business License - $150 
• Vehicle License - $150
• Food Handling Permit - $500/Y 
• California Seller Permit - $500 
• Health Department Permit - $100 
• Fire Safety Permit - $150/Y)
• ($4,686 Postron.com)

Payment For Fundraising Site - $4,330.67 (4.9%)

Refrigeration Equipment - Freezer/Fridge Combo - $1,300  (Ebay.com) (Used)

Solar Equipment - (Panels - $280 - Batteries - $720)  (Solarwholesalellc.com) (Used)

Propane - $2,000/Y (Learnmetrics.com)

Pots/Pans/Kitchen Utensils - $2,000 (Balsingerinsurance.com)

Fuel - $1,000/MO (Mr-trailers.com>gas-food-truck)

Commercial Cooking Equipment ($4,730):

• Convection Oven - $3,000 - 36" 
• Griddle - $800 
• Exhaust Hood - $800 
• Foodservice Gas Hose Connector Kit - $130 (Webrestaurantstore.com)

Initial Repairs And Customization - $1,000

10,000 Watt Dual Fuel Generator - $1,000 (Ebay) (Used)

Custom Merchandise - $1,000

Additional Worker Stipend - $1,000/MO (If Employed)

Additional Maintenance - $2,000

Business Phone - (Simple model like Blade X1 5G - $200 with adequate service for one year) $600 (Visible.com)

KDS System and Software - $600/YR (Squareup.com)

Industrial Sink - $500 

Initial Food Inventory - $500

Miscellaneous - $500

Parking - $500

Paper Products/Serving Containers - $400

Sandwich Board And Menu Board - $320

Propane - $300

Tankless Hot Water Heater - $300

Security Cameras - $300

Office Supplies - $200

Shelving And Storage Containers - $150

Condiments And Guest Utensils - $150

Security Alarms - $100

Filing Cabinet - $100

Fire Extinguishers - $100

Cleaning Supplies - $100

Additional Locks - $80

Secure Donation Drop Box - $60

Floor Mat - $60

First Aid - $50

Wheel Chocks - $50

Climate Control - $50

RV Tie Down Kit - $50

External Shower - $50

Exterior Lighting - $40

Reflective Triangles - $35

(I am happy to provide sources for anything $500 and under by request)

Total: $92,177.67

Food Here Now has a small team for financial advisement, social media, custom art, and administrative tasks. Our current logo and future amazing art is going to be provided by Melissa V., you can check out her work on Instagram - @litaapollo. Financial guidance provided by George B.  

We would also like to give a special thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help. You can contact Food Here Now at [email protected] if you want to get involved with the project too. 

Follow us on our journey: 

@_foodherenow on IG

@_foodherenow on Tiktok

Follow us on Facebook

or you can support us by buying a shirt or sticker here!: https://www.teepublic.com/user/food-here-now

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to read this proposal and for helping as you are able. I have been working on this project for about 7 years and I would love to see it come to fruition. Moreover, I am dedicating my life to this pursuit of spreading nourishment, wellbeing, and kindness - it would bring me great joy to do this for the rest of my life.

Any donation amount helps us to reach the goals of Food Here Now, and will directly go to taking care of someone who needs it. With your help, we can make Food Here Now more than just a vision. If you are unable to donate monetarily at this time, that is totally understandable, and please know you can help us by sharing with everyone you know and please follow FHN on social media to see all the progress we have made so far! 

Remember, “Making a difference starts with something small.”

Sincerely,

Owner/Operator Katrina “Treenut” Wilson