The North City Food Hub will host its grand opening, along with its partner organizations, from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, June 28. It’s located at 1034 North Sarah St.
With initial funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the food hub was established with a mission of making a local food system where North St. Louis residents can access resources aimed at increasing their income potential and turning food business ideas into fruitful economic realities.
“We’re looking at ways to address food insecurity while simultaneously improving personal incomes through the growing of fresh food and food production,” said Mildred Mattfeldt- Beman, project coordinator.
At the event, the food hub will outline its classes in legal assistance, land-ownership, good agricultural practices, culinary education, food safety, business plan development, and food production. It will unveil its 3,000-square-feet food preparation and storage space that includes a shared-use kitchen where residents will receive technical assistance, training, oversight and guidance through the food production business.
The food hub has partnered with St. Louis University and local nonprofits such as the Ville Collaborative, Hosco Foods, Good Life Growing, LLC., Annie Malone Children & Family Service Center and the Sweet Potato Project.
“Our students and other North St. Louis residents now have a one-stop shop that will help them gain education in accessing land, growing food, getting legal advice and small business assistance, making food products and professionally bring all this to market in and outside their own neighborhoods,” “said Sylvester Brown Jr., director of the Sweet Potato Project, “
For more information, contact Alayna Sibert (operations manager) at 314-954-7090 or Mildred Mattfeldt-Beman at 314-258-2571.