Feed it Forward
Feed It Forward is a program designed to engage our amazing customers (aka, the community) in feeding our neighbors. In late 2018, Monica Alvarado met Joseph Porcelli, a community organizer who also works for Nextdoor. Nextdoor is the neighborhood hub, whose purpose is to cultivate a kind world where everyone has a neighborhood on which they can rely. After the two struck up a conversation about hunger in the community, they instinctively knew that they must collaborate to find a way to help. Joseph had been toying with an idea he dubbed, “Feed it Forward,” which was a way for restaurants to partner with their customers to provide meals for those in need.
Fast forward to January 2019, Joseph & Monica officially launched the program at Bread and Butter Kitchen. The idea was simple: customers purchase gift cards for $15, (which would cover the cost of a full meal & drink), & gift cards would be distributed to those in need. The very first weekend, more than 60 meals were purchased!
In 2019, more than 200 gift cards were purchased and distributed to several local organizations including, Eastport Elementary School, St. Luke’s Food Pantry, the Office of Emergency Management, Homeless Outreach Coordinators, and the local police department. The best part of the program is that it supports the community and the small business. People in the neighborhood are directly impacted and there is no stigma – receiving a Feed It Forward gift card isn’t charity. It’s a gift from a neighbor.
We are excited to see the program grow, as additional restaurants in the area are now joining in and offering the Feed It Forward program to their customers and neighbors.
Valhalla Sailing Project
Established in 2015, Valhalla Sailing Project provides wounded, disabled, and transitioning veterans an opportunity to adopt a new family and lifestyle through the sport of sailing as a means to cope with PTSD and prevent veteran suicide. After meeting one of the founders, Mike Wood, and later participating in one of the weekend programs, it became clear that this organization is literally changing and saving lives.
What began as a simple donation of breakfast & lunches to participants in Valhalla’s weekend sailing programs in 2018, quickly became a passion project for Monica Alvarado, who is an Air Force veteran. Bread and Butter Kitchen proudly provides breakfast and lunch to participants in the Valhalla Sailing Project. Additionally, Monica was honored to be asked to join the board in 2020. Big things are coming for Valhalla and we couldn’t be more proud to support their growing organization!
Eastport Mural
Bread and Butter Kitchen is located in Eastport, a historic community in Annapolis, MD. In 2019, Eastport celebrated its 150th year. To mark the occasion, the Eastport Civic Association commissioned artist, Cindy Fletcher Holden, to design and paint a mural to commemorate the occasion. When asked to contribute, we didn’t hesitate. The mural is located along Second Street, right next to Bread and Butter Kitchen. This amazing mural depicts the history of Eastport and presents a look to the future with a sunrise over the Severn River.