Cuyama Kitchen Success Story

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  • Developed Grassroots Food Action Programing

    Blue Sky Center’s AmeriCorps VISTA staff members developed and distributed a community food action survey to vet the top project opportunities determined by the Task Force.

  • Outfitted a Mobile Commercial Catering Trailer

    By drawing from their own assets and infrastructure, and utilizing $30K in funding from the Santa Barbara Foundation, Blue Sky Center invested in outfitting Cuyama Kitchen, a mobile commercial catering trailer that serves as a space for youth and community members to experiment with entrepreneurial food ventures and a pathway for nutrition and culinary arts education.

  • Hosted a Series of Culinary Workshops

    Blue Sky Center’s Cuyama Kitchen ran a series of culinary workshops to engage community members around a common table. These opportunities included a sourdough bread baking workshop for Cuyama Valley women, an intergenerational cactus planting workshop, a grilled cactus community dinner, and an heirloom corn storytelling workshop.

  • Cuyama Kitchen Became a Revenue Stream

    A Rental Agreement was developed so that the Cuyama Kitchen could become an earned revenue stream for Blue Sky Center. The Cuyama Kitchen – and its inventory of catering supplies – can be rented for an affordable rate, complementing Explore Cuyama, Blue Sky Center’s hospitality venture.

  • Blue Sky Center Launched the Made in Cuyama Initiative

    The Made in Cuyama Initiative focuses on identifying local entrepreneurs and businesses, helping them reach their full potential.

  • Joined the Community Kitchens Working Group

    The Cuyama Kitchen joined the SBCFAN Community Kitchens Working Group to help identify potential food hubs and create an information database that consolidates resources and experiences from and for food hubs.

KEY METRICS

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past programs and events
0%
of community engaged with programs
20%
of participants experienced culturally-specific and engaging programming
10%
of participants gained a deeper understanding of Cuyama Valley-grown ingredients

NOTABLE SUCCESSES

  • “Ultimately, the Cuyama Kitchen built the foundation for incubating food entrepreneurial ventures and cottage industries that create both educational and economic opportunities at Blue Sky Center.”
  • “The Cuyama Kitchen was the catalyst in connecting producers to buyers and processors to distributors through community investment, network capacity building, and Cuyama Valley product branding and distribution.”
  • “Helped Blue Sky Center address its aim to build a more resilient foundation for a thriving rural economy that can contribute to a diverse regional foodshed”

Activating Food Action Plan goals

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