Sanctuary Kitchen by City Seed

Sanctuary Kitchen employs refugee women to prepare food for their catering business. While a majority of the chefs serve as contractors, business growth affords chefs to join the team as part-time employees. In 2019 they expanded to supply prepared meals to local grocery stores. Additionally, products made by Sanctuary Kitchen chefs are sold at the City Seed Farmers Market in and around New Haven, Connecticut. Their Flore Foundation grant enables them to develop branding and expand market access to increase hiring capacity. 

 

During the global pandemic, Sanctuary Kitchen pivoted to turn their catering business into a curbside and delivery food provider. They also collaborated to feed frontline workers each week. Their mainstay prior to COVID-19, catering events, became obsolete in March 2020. To ensure refugees remained employed, their leadership implemented quick measures to adhere to the new safety guidelines as well as transform their business model. Flore Foundation endorsed these changes, allowing Sanctuary Kitchen to use our grant funds in this capacity. Each week Sanctuary Kitchen sends out a menu and within a few days items are sold out. For refugees in New Haven, Connecticut, Sanctuary Kitchen demonstrated a sustainable livelihood is within reach even during a period of economic hardship.