Powerful Partnerships: Stepping Up For The Causes You Care About Can Change Everything
At Culinary Care, we are dedicated to forging impactful partnerships with kind-hearted humans and businesses who believe that a good meal and community compassion are as powerful as medicine.
This is the story of two passionate volunteers whose courage to act helped launch Culinary Care by building a partnership with one of Chicago's most successful restaurant groups, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.
A Charitable Connection Begins
If you want to truly make a difference in the world, stop overthinking and start DOING.
That's exactly what Jason Klarfeld and Laura Nessel did in 2013.
Receiving meal donations from local restaurants is critical to Culinary Care, and when we launched in 2013, we needed more restaurant partners. Jason Klarfeld didn't overthink it. He was going to an event where a bunch of restaurants would be sharing bites and he told them about Culinary Care.
Laura Nessel, Director of Marketing & Sales at Lettuce Entertain You's Wildfire & Big Bowl Restaurants, was one of the people he told.
"I was immediately captivated by Culinary Care's mission, so I contacted the founder Courtney right after the event. I knew this was something that I wanted to be part of."
~ LAURA
From One, Comes Many - Wildfire Rallies More Chicago Restaurants
Inspired by our mission, Laura took her enthusiasm to Howard Katz, President of Wildfire, and the rest of the Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises team.
"I was giddy. Within one week, I received emails from Chicago's best restaurants pledging their support and donating meals to our mission!"
~ COURTNEY JOHNSON, CULINARY CARE FOUNDER & CEO
Lettuce Entertain You restaurants have supported Culinary Care for more than seven years, and it all started with two volunteers.
On Valentine's Day in 2019, Laura volunteered and delivered meals to patients fighting cancer.
“There was no better way to spread love that day than by delivering these meals. It was rewarding and fulfilling to say the least. I was able to witness how appreciative both staff and patients were firsthand. It fueled my determination to spread Culinary Care's mission even more!"
~ LAURA
Charities To Donate To - How Laura Aligned Her Passion For Food And Hospitality
Laura is now a member of The Line, our monthly giving community. When considering what charities to donate to, it's important to feel aligned personally. For Laura, it was no question.
"Those who know me are well aware of my love for food and passion for hospitality. Since I was a little girl, I have been instilled with the unwavering belief that food is the very best medicine, which is why I've always been so inspired by Culinary Care and Courtney, and proud to be a part of the organization on behalf of Wildfire and Big Bowl!"
~ LAURA
If you're in the Chicago area and searching for a restaurant experience or planning a special event, company outing, or catered lunch, we encourage you to check out Wildfire and Big Bowl. By supporting these restaurants, you'll contribute to nourishing cancer recoveries with Culinary Care AND you’ll get to eat really delicious food. (Win-win!)
>> You can join Laura and 95+ kind-hearted humans as our newest member of The Line, our monthly giving community. As a member, you help ensure our families can count on us not just once but month-in-and-month-out until their last cancer treatment. Will you join us today?
