Published June 14, 2017
Over the past month Gourmet Gorilla raised over $2,200 in support of Chicago’s Polaris Charter Academy. The 7th grade class at PCA is rounding out their school year by focusing on the food system, covering topics like food security, sustainability and healthy food access. PCA, located in the West Humboldt/East Garfield Park neighborhood is a food desert, meaning an area that does not have immediate access to affordable, nutritious food such as whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat milk.
Gourmet Gorilla crowdsourced over $2,200 from almost 30 donors, using Go Fund Me, to make 140 produce bags for participating families in the PCA community. The reusable bags were made by Movéo and consisted of broccoli, apples, oranges, lettuce, collard greens, cauliflower, grapes, bananas, potatoes and onions. Also included in each bag was a recipe card for Gourmet Gorilla’s cauliflower soup to provide inspiration for aspiring chefs! We hope that these bags and recipes will help students continue to learn about the food system and their part within it.
At the bag distribution Tuesday night, the ‘Omarion Special’ was served. This meal was designed by PCA student, Omarion, with the help of Gourmet Gorilla’s registered dietitian, Samantha Sullivan. The ‘Omarion Special’ consists of buffalo chicken, roasted sweet potato, kiwi slices and corn bread. As families ate, the room was filled with the smells of fresh produce on one side of the room, and delicious buffalo chicken on the other.
The food-focused evening ended with families picking up their produce bags, enjoying a delicious student-designed meal and enjoying each other’s company. We would like to thank the Gourmet Gorilla and PCA community for supporting this project!
– Johnny Sudekum, Sourcing and Customer Service Specialist
