LCFM Annex Commercial/Community Kitchen Project
The LCFM requested and received $ 79,277.00 in NC Tobacco Trust Fund grant dollars to create a community kitchen in the Rick Holder Farmers Market Annex. The Annex was a private gift to the Market in 2013. In response to increasing requests from farmers/vendors, community members, and potential vendors, LCFM plans to add capacity to the Market by completing the commercial/community kitchen, a fully inspected, code-compliant facility in which vendors and other entrepreneurs can prepare foods for sale in the Market and throughout the community. The kitchen will include space for planned healthy food preparation classes and demonstrations, which should generate increased Market vendors’ sales. The kitchen, located outside of flood prone areas, will be totally operated by gas, and therefore can be powered by a gas-driven generator, along with solar panels, enabling the kitchen to operate during a disaster feeding first responders, volunteers and other community members.