MILWAUKEE — Every morning, before the city awakens, a team of dedicated workers at the Center for Independence (CFI) begins its day.
By 4 a.m., staff are busy preparing meals for thousands, striving to combat food insecurity in Milwaukee County. On a recent day, they prepared and delivered an impressive 30,100 meals, each crafted to bring nutritious, accessible food to the community.
“We know now that our kids in our community are getting a healthy meal,” said CFI staff member Jean Allen. “The kids eat what they know, so we try to make what they know healthy.”
The heart of this effort is a state-of-the-art, 12,000-square-foot commercial kitchen at the corner of 27th and State located in the Concordia 27 building. Here, CFI is making strides to improve neighborhood health, particularly by addressing food insecurity from multiple angles.
“We have a paid job program called Level Up,” explained Heidi Chada from CFI. “If you have barriers to employment—whether an intellectual disability or previous impact by the justice system—you can come here.”
One of these workers is Messiah Carter-Thompson, who is finding new purpose and skills in the kitchen. “This job keeps me away from my old ways, and what I was used to doing—it wasn’t for me,” he said. Messiah credits the program for changing his life in meaningful ways.
Watch: Milwaukee’s Center for Independence fights food insecurity and builds futures
With a powerful personal drive, he’s committed to making a positive change. “Just recently, my mom beat breast cancer, and I want to make her proud,” he shared.
CFI’s program not only provides valuable employment opportunities but also acts as an incubator for local entrepreneurs. Messiah, like many future entrepreneurs, is gaining hands-on experience, learning everything from food storage to meal preparation and distribution.
“I’ve learned everything—from dry storage to the kitchen to the loadout,” Messiah noted. “I even went on trips with them a couple of times.”
CFI is helping these individuals acquire the training and certifications necessary to pursue their dreams, setting them up to succeed in the food service field.
For those interested in seeing the impact of CFI firsthand, Chada invites the community to stop by Concordia 27 at 27th and State. “Check it out, see how you can connect to make our community healthier,” Chada said.
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