Community Kitchens Oakland

Want to know how to get started cooking meals for people in your community? Melinda Drayton is the former Deputy Chief of the Oakland Fire Department and a seasoned Home Chef volunteer. On Tuesday, October 29th at the CK Central Kitchen Melinda will be whipping up her beloved family recipe—Cowgirl Chili and Maple Butter Cornbread—to share with our community through Town Fridges. This is your chance to roll up your sleeves and gain hands-on experience cooking for 25+ people. Bring your family and friends along to learn how to cook in large batches while having a blast together! If you're interested in cooking your own family recipes to share, check out the link below to sign up for this demo or learn more about becoming a CK Home Chef! https://lnkd.in/g8G4WQkc

Small change makes a big difference. Dining for Justice Milestone Alert! Diners and restaurants in Oakland have raised over $500,000 to feed the unhoused and food-insecure since we launched in 2022! Get our D4J app to find all the community-centered restaurants where you can dine with purpose. https://lnkd.in/gh7HngYB

Host your next event in the heart of Oakland's history. The Rotunda's elegant architecture and versatile spaces provide the perfect backdrop for any gathering. Experience it during Oakland Style as it sets the backdrop for Mixology & Music Event and Competition this Wednesday! Join 11 of Oakland’s top mixologists from the Town’s hottest bars & restaurants as they compete for the official 2024 Oakland Style cocktail to benefit Community Kitchens Oakland. 🍸Mixology & Music Event & Competition 🗓️ October 9 📍 The Rotunda Building ⏰ 5:30-9pm Ticket price: $95 + 15% off! Event includes: 11 Tasting Tokens (and voting for your favorite cocktail!), Bites & Appetizers, Exclusive access to the Michter’s Whiskeys Tasting Lounge, and $10 Uber credit LEARN MORE ➡️ bit.ly/3zRwxDn #MeetInOakland #OaklandLoveIt #VisitOakland

Thank you Supervisor Lena Tam for your incredible support helping us build our food security hub and central kitchen! This critical foundation will enable us to cook for a lot more people! At Community Kitchens we cook for others so that nobody in Oakland has to go without or be excluded from our incredible bounty. We cook for people who can’t cook for themselves for any reason, including especially because they are living on the streets, unable to afford food and housing at the same time. We cook for anyone who needs it, young or old, whoever they are, wherever they come from, without judgment. The cooking we all do together matters so much, because you can’t feed all the people without getting in the kitchen and doing a little cooking. And if you do it the right way, you’re not just filling bellies, you’re filling hearts and uplifting our community.

While we are disappointed in the governor's veto, we are incredibly proud to have brought AB922 to the governor's desk. We understand these are hard times for our budget, but we have to advocate for our unhoused and most vulnerable community members. We are a small and mighty team at CK, so having to start over is a big setback for us. With over 180,000 people experiencing homelessness in California, it's time to bring together Feeding America, California Association of Food Banks and Alameda County Community Food Bank to find solutions to feed our unhoused and address the gaps and access barriers of our existing public benefits programs. It's important to recognize that we can't feed all the people without doing a little cooking. There are existing public funding channels for prepared meals for youth and seniors, but our unhoused are left behind. It is our hope that foundations can help with this gap, as state and local budget outlooks are concerning. At Community Kitchens we serve our community in a way, where we're not just filling bellies, we're filling hearts and uplifting our community.  We have a proven method where we build connection rather than increasing marginalization. AB922 is/was a holistic and compassionate approach to creating pathways out of homelessness. By working together with housing organizations, we can help to effectively build connection with our unhoused residents to housing resources.  Thanks to everyone who helped us on this journey, including Hanna Hamilton Flores, MPH, MPP, Lynn Peralta, Anissa B.-Villarreal, MPA (she/her/ella), Andrea Ford, Larissa Estes, DrPH, Monica Miller, Cathy Senderling-McDonald, Marisa Raya, Vanessa Cedeño Geisner, Dave Brown, Shara Perkins Murphy, Buffy Wicks. We must regroup and figure out a way to ensure everyone is fed in our community.

We were blown away by the incredible community support for our first gala! We had a full house and a fun night under the stars ✨ at @oaklandmuseumca Together we raised $144,000 to support the lives of countless individuals and families who struggle with hunger everyday. We’re so close to $150,000, help make this milestone by donating today (ckoakland.org). Gratitude for our food and beverage crews! @josmodernthai @tayhooakland @joodooboo @cambodianstreetfood @liondancecafe Shunde Tastes @commisrestaurant @thecaffeoak @mrespressooak @fabulatea @dokkaebier_oakland @densakebrewery And for making the night special @wasabipress @oaklandtaiko @lyricsborn @joyovelardemusic @liammayclem @sterlingbaybaby 📷 credit: UIU (uiu.lol) #ckgala #ckgala2024

Thank you Community Bank Of The Bay for sponsoring our first gala! Together we can build community and make change by breaking bread together!

Time is running out to get tickets for our inaugural gala! The last day to purchase tickets is September 12th, and you don’t want to miss out on this incredible event. Each ticket you buy goes directly to supporting families facing food insecurity in our community. Our Harvest Moon Night Market features local east Asian spots, including Jo’s Modern Thai, Lion Dance Cafe, Tay Ho, Joodooboo, Cambodian Street Food, Shunde Tastes and more! And we couldn’t be more honored to welcome Lyrics Born for a special performance. As a continued musical force in the Bay, a committed community member, and a lifetime foodie, we are so excited to have him perform for us. This is your chance to make a difference while enjoying an amazing evening with amazing food and amazing entertainment in the Oakland Museum gardens. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/g6N9XUXQ

AB922 is headed to the Governor's Office!

Check out Community Kitchens CK Home Chef program. You can volunteer to make home cooked meals for Town Fridges. This program allows you to help address food insecurity in your own home, on your own time! Learn the details at one of two orientations this month to start cooking for community! Sign up here! https://lnkd.in/gBCT8U7m