In 2018, Cooking Up Better Lives worked with The Center, an addiction recovery center in Palos Park, Illinois. Programs and activities include an on site substance-abuse recovery program, as well as prayer services, preschool through second-grade classes, farm tours and agricultural education, summer camp, and a full-ranging art program. The kitchen was gutted and expanded so that it can now provide 33,000 meals a year, including banquet capabilities. In all, the project took about 7 months and cost about $250,000.

This nominee was brought forth by Excell Foodservice Equipment Dealer Network members, Mark and Kathy Raber of Ramar Restaurant Equipment & Supplies. Ramar Supply donated consultation services as well as kitchen design, general contracting, warehousing, delivery and installation to the project. Mark’s involvement was both professional and personal.

Learn more about this project:
FE&S Magazine: A Pro You Should Know: Mark Raber of Ramar Restaurant Equipment & Supplies

In the News:
Chicago Tribune
FER Magazine

We want to thank our partners for their generosity:

• Advance Tabco
• Blodgett
• Captive-Aire
• Carolina Cooks
• Carter-Hoffman
• Chase Doors
• CMA Dishmachines
• Comstock-Castle
• Continental Refrigerator
• Hoshizaki America
• Gator Chef
• John Boos and Co.
• Krowne
• Maven Foodservice Group
• Minot Restaurant Supply
• Nor-Lake
• Pitco
• R.M. Flagg
• Ramar Supply
• Southbend
• The Legacy Companies
• U.S. Cooler

In 2017, Cooking Up Better Lives worked with Creative Dreams Outreach Center, an after-school arts and tutoring program for financially disadvantaged middle and high school students. They offer free art, dance, music lessons, and academic tutoring. Their new kitchen helps provide, on average, 200 meals per week.

Cooking Up Better Lives in partnership with James Beard award winner – Chef Donald Link, the Link Restaurant Group and Excell Dealer, Caire Hotel & Restaurant Supply, this project will fund a commercial kitchen that will serve more than 200 vulnerable infants, children, disabled adults and seniors each day – more than 7,000 people per year. The new kitchen is part of Kingsley House’s $12,560,000 capital campaign to Build a Promising Future for Children and Families by building a new 24,000 square foot campus on 4.2 acres of recently acquired property.

The Delancey Street Foundation is considered to be the “world’s most successful organization” (Parade Magazine) for helping people who have hit rock bottom in their lives.

As a State Certified Vocational School, they provide three marketable skills to every resident so they can be responsible citizens. One of their unique features is that they accept no government funds and charge no fees to their clients.  Delancey Street reached out to Cooking Up Better Lives in hopes of receiving a much needed donation to be used in their culinary arts vocational school/restaurant.

In just two short weeks, Cooking Up Better Lives was able to procure the Delancey Street’s entire wish list.

The following Dealers and Vendors were more than willing to show their generosity:

• Nor-Lake: Sandwich Prep Table & Pizza Prep Table
• Globe Food Equipment: 30 Quart Floor Mixer
• Cornerstone Restaurant Supply: (2) 110 Coffee Cup Urns

Although this wish-list is short, these items are valued at almost $15,000!! The Delancey Street Foundation was very grateful to have such a wish fulfilled.