The purpose of this panel is to share how our cafes creatively met the needs of the communities they serve. We will walk through the process each cafe took to launch something innovative during the largest health crisis of our lifetime. We hope this detailed discussion will help other cafes foster innovation both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
PANELIST: Renee Boughman, F.A.R.M. Cafe (Boone, NC)
Renee Boughman started a grass roots effort in 2009 that later launched F.A.R.M. Cafe in May, 2012. Now, nearly 10 years later, the Board of Directors is actively building its transition process.
PANELIST: Jeff Williams, Taste Project (Fort Worth, TX)
Chef Jeff Williams is founder and Executive Director of Taste Project. In December 2017, Taste Project opened the doors to Taste Community Restaurant in Fort Worth Texas. In April, 2019 the organization expanded its lunch service to include brunch on weekends. And in October, 2019 the organization expanded to include weekday breakfast in addition to its lunch service. To date, Taste Community Restaurant has served over 75,000 people.
FACILITATOR: Lori Borchers, One World Everybody Eats
Lori Borchers is an instructor in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas Christian University. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Kansas and a Master’s degree in Adult Health Nursing from Georgia State University. Before coming to TCU, she worked for more than 20 years as a Registered Nurse in a variety of settings. Currently, she teaches undergraduate nursing students while also working on her PhD in Educational Leadership at TCU. Her area of interest is the One World Everybody Eats community model and how it can be used to help decrease food insecurity on college campuses.
Most recently, Lori created and taught an online class which focused on food insecurity and building a business plan for a pay-what-you-can café in the student’s own chosen geographical area. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at the Taste Community Restaurant in Fort Worth with her husband and children.