Grassroots: Changing Lives Through Food

A Culinary Revolution for Social Change

Join us in transforming lives through the revival of the Grassroots Food Truck – a project born out of the passion and dedication of Chefs Troy Harris and Kareem Wallace of University of Pennsylvania’s Hillel kitchen. In 2014, they created a profitable and uplifting venture that not only delighted taste buds but also aimed to make a difference in the community. Unfortunately, the truck had to close its doors in 2021 due to the challenges imposed by the COVID pandemic, exploitative business connections, and a tragic incident of gun violence in Harris' family.

Our mission goes beyond serving delicious meals; it's about restorative justice and creating opportunities for justice-impacted Philadelphians. We are seeking your support to breathe new life into the Grassroots Food Truck and reignite our commitment to empowering underserved individuals that have been disadvantaged by the criminal justice system. Please continue reading to learn more about our story.

Our Story: A Journey of Resilience

Troy and Kareem, with over two decades of culinary expertise, met in the kitchen of UPenn's Hillel. They launched the Grassroots Food Truck in 2014 to promote equity and break cycles of poverty and violence in West Philly, one meal at a time.

Despite their dedication, setbacks occurred, from being underpaid as subcontracted Penn dining workers to the tragic shooting of Harris' son. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a significant blow, and these hardworking chefs were furloughed without pay by Bon Appétit Management Company. Troy and Kareem then reached out to some business connections for help, but they were taken advantage of instead. In 2021, Grassroots Food Truck had to close its doors despite the chefs' unwavering efforts.

The Revival

Enter Lawrence Froymovich, a Wharton senior with a passion for criminal justice reform and over 5 years of criminal justice programming experience throughout New York and Philadelphia. Lawrence has overseen 6 pilot programs in partnership with The Wharton School and Philadelphia District Attorney's Office since Spring 2022 that financially empowered 85 youth from 17 justice-impacted communities and generated over $20,000 in wealth for our students.

image from our Fall 2023 financial empowerment class

Troy, Kareem, and Lawrence, sharing the mission of changing lives through restorative justice, joined forces. They are reviving Grassroots as a non-profit staffing platform designed for our justice-impacted students. See our Roadmap to Success below:

Our community partners, including Free Library of Philadelphia and Philabundance Community Kitchen would provide literacy and job training to engage and empower students with valuable vocational skills. Grassroots students would become Grassroots interns and learn, earn, and grow We will then help interns secure employment at our business sites.

Most importantly, Grassroots Food Truck would become the initial hub for our staffing platform. Grassroots Food Truck would give underserved Philadelphians that have been disadvantaged by the criminal justice system a second chance at a better future.

Costs to Revive Food Truck

To make this vision a reality, we need your support. A total of $50,000 (see a full breakdown of expenses below) is required to kickstart an immensely impactful, sustainable, and profitable business, which simply needs funds to get off the ground.

Grassroots has built relationships with 60 organizations across Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. These groups are just waiting for Grassroots to return to work. Each engagement would yield $1,500-$2000 in profit. Additionally, we have secured confirmation to provide catering (2x per week) to a Philadelphia Center City office building and the surrounding area.

Grassroots Food Truck would become the first of several Grassroots-owned business sites. In the future, we aspire to launch a Grassroots Ghost Kitchen, Grassroots Restaurant, and employ justice-impacted individuals at Philly-based food and beverage business sites including Black and Mobile, Dig, Down North Pizza, and beyond.

Join the Culinary Revolution

We invite you to be part of our mission to reinvent criminal justice, starting in the economically disadvantaged communities of Philadelphia. Your support is crucial in bringing hope to a city facing youth poverty, food insecurity, and increased homicide rates. Together, we can build community, one meal at a time.

Thank you for being the driving force behind Grassroots: A Beacon of Hope for Change!

(Note: Donations are not tax-deductible as Grassroots is not a public charity.)

See the links below to learn even more about Grassroots