Projects

Kids' Pasta Project

Contact Information:
OSM/VISTA: Moni Slater
Supervisor: Jeff Crane
Address: P.O. Box 21, Hotchkiss, CO 81419
Phone: 970-250-6836
Email: monislater AT gmail DOT com
Website: www.kidspastaproject.org
US Congressional District: 58
County: Delta

Description of Organization and Mission:

The mission of the Kids' Pasta Project is for youth to serve their community by preparing and selling freshly-made, healthy meals, with the profit going to local causes. Where possible, the ingredients for the meals are from local producers and businesses. The project provides the opportunity to learn the value of service to community as well as relevant life skills. A key intention of the organization is for it to be sustainable, adaptable and transferable to any community.

The Kids' Pasta Project (KPP) is an independent project in the application process for 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit status. It was established in August 2008 and began operations in March 2009 in the North Fork Valley of Delta County, Colorado.

The Kids' Pasta Project (KPP) is about kids serving community. It involves community service, local support, education and organizational sustainability. Each week a group of kids and adults prepare and serve a dinner and donate money raised to a local cause. The wider community is engaged as sponsors, educators, parents and the diners themselves interact with kids involved in the project. As volunteers promote the project, take reservations, serve dinners, talk with recipient organizations, present checks and talk with others about the community, they not only increase their own awareness of the community, but also help generate community awareness in others.

Sustainability is a central goal of the Kids' Pasta Project. One aspect of that concept is that the kids' capacity to run this project is cultivated both in the restaurant operations and in the business operations, including publicity, bookkeeping, recipe development and more. The project develops opportunities in education as kids develop practical skills and "21st century skills" including teamwork, creative thinking, problem-solving and more. Furthermore, adults are regularly trained to oversee project operations so that eventually the KPP is not dependent on any one group of people to function.

The KPP has been serving pasta dinners in the North Fork Valley every Monday since March 2009. As of September 2009, the KPP has donated $5,404 to the North Fork community, has 43 local sponsors who donate or offer discounted food and/or provide other services, and has logged over 4,000 volunteer hours.

Goal of OSM/VISTA in the Kids' Pasta Project:

The OSM/VISTA focuses on developing the capacity of the organization. This includes improving systems, implementing community outreach, producing a handbook, publishing a newsletter, designing publicity and other publications, developing an integrated KPP curriculum, writing grants, developing the volunteer base, and creating and maintaining the website.