Green Opportunities Lunchtime Visits: Impressions

Our lunchtime visits to Green Opportunities' Southside Kitchen were very well-attended, with enthusiastic reviews coming in from all who attended. Here are two testimonials from those involved:

 

I really enjoyed touring the new Edington Center. It has been renovated beautifully by the Green Opportunities building team. I had been there before but it was very easy to walk in the door since someone had already set up a tour and knew where to go and who to see. The tour was very informative and we met lots of people who told us their perspective on the non-profit's work and mission. We met the current trainer of the building arts class (he started off as a GO trainee) and learned about how the program runs. Afterward we ate lunch with many people from around Asheville in GO's Southside Kitchen (also part of their training programs). I sat next to a DHHS worker that does applications for Food & Nutritional Services and adult Medicaid. I was back at my desk in about an hour and a half. Looking forward to the next field trip.

                                                                                                                        --- Aaron Schnurbusch

                                                                                                                   

Green Opportunities (GO) is a very well-run nonprofit, and eating lunch at their Southside Kitchen provides a great way to meet folks from very different backgrounds. Meals are first-come, first-served, and everyone is welcome. A 3-course lunch is served family-style every Monday-Thursday, from 12-1 pm. Donations from diners are distributed directly to the GO Kitchen Ready trainees, who use the income to support themselves and their families while enrolled in the training program. The food is great (their training program is affiliated with AB Tech's renowned culinary program), and the atmosphere is noisy and happy-- an easy place to bring young children. And, one day our lunch included fried green tomatoes which had been grown in the GCPC garden!!

Two groups from GCPC recently enjoyed tours of GO (at 133 Livingston Street), and then ate lunch at the Southside Kitchen. We learned about their Built Environment and Kitchen Ready training programs, 14-week programs teaching skills to youth and adults living in poverty to help them get jobs. (By the way, the Built Environment students are able to build tool storage sheds as well as furniture and other items, and sell them to interested parties.) 

For a limited time, Southside Kitchen is also offering Pop-Up Dinners on Thursday nights in 2 seatings, one at 5:30 pm and the other at 7:00 pm. The remaining dinners take place on Oct. 15, Oct. 22, and Oct. 29.

To see a picture of the Southside Kitchen and check out their menu, go to:  http://www.greenopportunities.org/about-us/southside-kitchen/

           

                                                                                                                        --- Anne Callison Stokely