Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Steele.
Hi Sean, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Abundant Harvest Kitchen was born of need. We didn’t exist until the need existed. This started after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Our executive director Rev. Sean Steele rallied together a group of volunteers and a food truck, feeding thousands and helping rebuild. When COVID hit in 2020, the Abundant Harvest Kitchen opened. We fed more than 10,000 families using more than 1 million pounds of donated food. From there, our mission solidified. My purpose was understood – to feed the body, nourish the soul, and transform the community. That mission continues as a standing commitment to our community which we execute with offensive generosity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our challenge grows as we discover more needs in the community. The more we do, the more we find. We set a goal in 2023 to raise $50k, so we could better subsidize our programs. We are incubating small businesses, launching wellness programs, providing mental health services, and building veteran programs. Volunteers are a mainstay for any non-profit, but what we really need now are partners to help us break the glass ceiling we have found ourselves. Partners with a business mindset with whom we can demonstrate actual ROI for their investment. Something non-profits are always known to do, but we have a good plan in place. Would love to hear from those interested.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Abundant Harvest Kitchen is a non-profit dedicated to feeding the body, nourishing the soul and transforming the community. Our food pantry and mobile pantry provide meals to more than 1,320 families every month. We provide a daily meal for the community to join us using our Exquisite Kitchen catering team who are free to contract. Our Harvest Café provides free WiFi and drinks to those needing an eclectic place to study and our venue as a whole is large enough to host a variety of events – from wedding receptions to quite dinners, fully catered. Free workouts? We got that too! Mental health help? We can do that! A veteran in need? CALL US! We execute all our programs with a sense of offensive generosity. We grow as the need grows. We love ideas and look forward to hearing from anyone in need.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Non-profit work is very different – especially in the way we approach businesses. We ask for what people are rich in. Then we use that to satisfy a need. You can’t ask a nail salon for the kind of help an investment firm could provide, and vice versa. We have taken the time to get to know our community and the people in it. We know what we are asking and who we are asking it from. We want partners – not donors … but will happily accept both!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.harvestkitchen.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundntharvestkitchen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAbundantHarvestKitchen/
Image Credits:
Abundant Harvest Kitchen Communications Office
