Celebrate 2025 : Year in Review

2025 was a pivotal year for so many - our world, our partner organizations and for Cooking for the Crowd. Let's take a moment to celebrate this mission and the generous donors who sustain our work and the hope of 2026 to come.

QI - January, February and March

As 2024 ended and 2025 began, our dream was to secure a commercial kitchen. But it was only a dream. So we started the Mission in Action blog to share our story a bit more and hunkered down cooking healthy meals for our existing clients. As Winter wore on, we looked at commercial kitchen leases (ouch!) but soon began a search for an underutilized kitchen of some sort, somewhere in the city. Our beacon became the East Dallas Christian Church.

Q2 - April, May and June

The EDCC kitchen came to us through a series of serendipitous conversations and soon enough, it became our home! We celebrated the kitchen in June at our Taste and Toast event, an open house where several hundred people came to sip and see the new digs. The gift registry at the event featured pots, pans, spatulas and all the things necessary to begin cooking there.

Q3 - July, August and September

Summer became a time of getting the kitchen ready to for cooking full time. Updates, painting, inspections and all the other things necessary to make it fully operational. The work of many hands made light work and soon enough the kitchen was updated, supplies purchased and Cooking for the Crowd was off an running in a larger space, capable of cooking more meals. We also applied for the United Way Innovation Accelerator program - an incredible opportunity to build capacity and serve even more meals.

Q4 - October, November and December

And wow, what a year end Cooking for the Crowd has experienced! The organization was accepted into the prestigious United Way Innovation Accelerator Program. This is an absolute gamechanger for any organization ready to accept the challenges and opportunities this program affords. Bootcamp, mentoring and even a little cash to fund the extra time and attention this program requires of the organizations who participate. The end of year giving campaign with its $25,000 goal was met and exceeded. Thank you to everyone for the generous year end gifts! The kitchen is fully operational with volunteers coming weekly to help cook. And the United Way pitch stage is in our sights as we prepare to present this mission to the masses and grow significantly in 2026.  Cooking for the Crowd is amping up for a stunning new year.

It's all thanks to the prayer and generosity of our supporters. Thanks to each and every one of you for stepping forward to make our city shine through healthy and delicious meals. We can't do it without you!

Here we grow! May it be so!