Urban Oak Overview Deck

THE URBAN OAK INITIATIVE

Healthier Families, Healthier Communities, Healthier Planet

The Urban Oak Initiative is a 501 (c) (3) Community Service Organization Based in Atlanta, Georgia

About

FOOD EQUITY

The Urban Oak Initiative, Inc. (UOI) is a BIPOC-led, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 1997 as a community service agency providing basic human services to rural communities. Its current mission is to educate individuals and families on the benefits of plantbased nutrition as a part of an active and healthy lifestyle.

We primarily serve residents in Atlanta’s Neighborhood Planning Unit V impacted by adverse socio-economic conditions including poverty, food disparities, limited living-wage job opportunities, untreated preventable health conditions, and low rates of post-secondary educational attainment.

We partner with community-focused organizations to accomplish this work. Some of our core partners are the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Luluma Foundation, Columbia Residential, and Pittsburgh Yards.

2023 Community Impact

FOCUSED APPROACH

The mission of the Urban Oak Initiative is to educate under-resourced BIPOC Communities on the benefits of plant-based nutrition to help them achieve an active and healthy lifestyle.

We are working to create: Healthier Families. Healthier Communities. Healthier Planet. One Family at a Time.

+15 Food Events Per Year

+2500lbs

Plant-based food and produce consumed

+150 Youth Progam Participations

+4 Health and Wellness Programs

+750 Community Participants

+45

Senior Vegan Pantry Participants Ongoing

Vision, Mission & Core Areas

Mission

he mission of the Urban Oak Initiative is to educate youth and heir families on the benefits of plant-based nutrition and living n active and healthy lifestyle.

Vision

ur vision is a world of healthy, vibrant, and diverse communities built around the holistic duality of nutritious food and a healthy lifestyle.

Core Areas

Nutritional Health and Wellness

Education

Food Equity

Community

Entrepreneurship

Our Community Neighborhood Planning Unit V

Neighborhood Planning Unit-V is one of Atlanta’s 25 official neighborhood clusters. It is a neighborhood that continues to have challenges with food access, economic development, and affordable housing.

Formed in the aftermath of the Civil War, the six NPU‑V neighborhoods were once a thriving and diverse epicenter. Pittsburgh, for example, was founded in 1883 by formerly enslaved people who were seeking stable housing and work with nearby railroad companies. By the turn of the century, the neighborhood was home to a drugstore, schools, a funeral parlor, barber shops, restaurants and the city’s first African-American orphanage.

Things began to change in the 1950s and ’60s, however, as many residents moved to the surrounding suburbs and home values in the area declined. Decades of disinvestment and displacement followed.

Neighborhoods: Adair Park, Capitol Gateway,. Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Pittsburgh, Summerhill

Our Programs

Kids Can Cook

Teaching plant-based cooking skills in engaging, action-packed culinary classes.

Learn, Grow, Launch

Local entrepreneurs from the Food Studio work to mentor students for careers in the plant-based industry.

Plant-Life

Teaching plant-based cooking and nutrition information to the community through engaging presentations.

The Food Studio

The nation's first 100 % community-based, plantbased, shared commercial kitchen incubator and accelerator. We are redefining, transforming, and increasing fresh and healthy food access in Atlanta through supporting plant-based entrepreneurship.

The Food Studio

at Pittsburgh Yards

Fresh & Healthy Food Access

At The Food Studio, we are pioneering a revolutionary concept: A 100% community-based, plant-based, shared commercial kitchen incubator and accelerator. Located in the vibrant heart of Pittsburgh Yards Development in South Atlanta, we're not just a kitchen; we're a movement, a catalyst for change, and a beacon of hope for aspiring food entrepreneurs.

Food Studio Highlights

Food Entrepreneurship for 30 small women and BIPOC-owned businesses.

Economic Development for NPU-V in the City of Atlanta.

Community Food Access capable of producing up to 5,000 pounds of food per week

Hospitality Classes for local neighborhood food entrepreneurs and first-time businesses

Community-focused food and nutrition classes for 1500 people per year.

Celebrates the cultural heritage of Africans and African Americans across the diaspora.

Workforce Development opportunities for youth through food entrepreneur mentorship.

Meet Chef Kev Our Founder

For over 25 years, Kevin has dedicated himself to empowering individuals in achieving their health, wellness, and lifestyle objectives through the transformative power of food. His latest endeavor centers around the creation of the Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards in Atlanta, GA a dynamic project aimed at fostering community, promoting plant-based nutrition, and supporting local entrepreneurs. This initiative represents just one facet of Chef Kev's commitment to advancing plant-based cuisine and advocating for food justice and equity, particularly within communities of color. Beyond his community work, Kevin is renowned as a celebrity plant-based chef, sought after for his culinary expertise and commitment to sustainability. For more information :

404-790-2073

chefkev@urbanoakfood.org

www.urbanoakfood.org

Our Work

Strategic Plan

Mission Clarity

Financial Stability

Ensure that the mission and vision are clear for all stakeholders. And that it is communicated to others effectively

Identify adequate resources to ensure the organization's ability to self-fund and remain committed to its misson and vision

Operational Excellence

Ensure that UOI has adequate operational processes and procedures for culinary and administrative operations

Strategic Plan Cont

Community Engagement

Engage and educate the community about the organization's mission and vision

Community Empowerment

Provide opportunities for residents of the community to generate income enabling them to purchase quality food for themselves and their families.

Marketing and PR

Ensure that all marketing and PR materials, messages, and activities support UOI's mission and vision