Help support my Food Caravan

Hey there lovely people;

I never thought I'd be asking for financial support to start my business, but life happens, and here we are. To start this off, I'd like to introduce myself to those who don't know me. My name is Nellie, and I was born and raised in Washington Heights, NYC, the land of my Dominican people. I was always into cooking and baking and genuinely thought about opening my own cafe in my early 20s, but that also proved to be financially difficult. So I kept bartending, and in that time, I met my partner, who brought me to this beautiful place called Westport, NY. We never planned on living here and moved around a bit, but covid brought us back, and we've been living here ever since.

It's been so amazing living here, and I've met many wonderful people whom I can call great friends and family. We had plans to be a part of a great business, and when that went down the drain, we were hit with uncertainty and, to be honest, anger. I had some savings and went all out on my dream to run my own business and sell food that brings such warmth and love. Food that my grandma and mom taught me to make when I was a kid, and food that I want to share with Westport and the surrounding areas.

For those who don't know, Westport is a tiny town with a population of around 1,300, and it's much less in the winter months. There are no year-round restaurants and no grocery stores, as of yet. So to share my passion with a town that deserves all that and more makes this even more exciting. I'm hoping to get my truck up and running by spring 2023 and have it in the town of Westport. The caravan will not just be for summer folks and weekenders; it's for all to enjoy! I'm also up for catering events and plan on getting temporary liquor licenses for said events (I can't let go of my experience in bartending that easily!)

The idea of the caravan, which is named Seasoned Sol, is to bring the food I grew up with but with a twist, and ALWAYS have vegan and gluten-free options! I know I'm known for my empanadas, but I will bring a revolving menu with local ingredients (since we're so lucky to have that.) Things like nachos, poutine, rice and beans, beef stew, yucca stuffed fritters (alcapurrias), etc. You may even see my vegan and GF desserts make an appearance!

Most of the funds will be used to buy a fryer, flat top griddle, warmers, a sink, and a water heater, as well as to fix up the exterior and get new tires and a custom sign. The rest will be allocated to paying off the caravan and buying containers, silverware, and other kitchen supplies.

It's been a heck of a year and life, but I'm so grateful for everything I have, and I hope to make that grow into something I can be proud of. I genuinely appreciate y'all for even taking the time to read this, and if you donate, I'd just have to say, thank you from the bottom of my heart; your support and words mean the world to me. Wishing you all so much love and joy.

Happy Holidays,

Nellie Vargas