Pomegranate Kitchen

By Rebecca Stewart

PledgeMe.Project

Food,



NZ $18,350 pledged


230 people pledged


Closed


NZ $15,000 minimum target


100 100% Complete

This campaign was successful and closed on 10/11/2016 at 1:00 AM.

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About

Pomegranate Kitchen

Project 2016-05-19 13:07:46 +1200

Who are we?

Pomegranate Kitchen is a new social enterprise that will be cooking delicious food for Wellingtonians, while providing training and work for former refugees.

Why are we doing this?

Refugees face major hurdles when they arrive in New Zealand, and finding a job is one of the biggest.  Our research tells us getting a job will make a significant difference for how well former refugees integrate into our Wellington community.

 

What will we be doing?

We will deliver lunches to workplaces, provide catering services, and run pop-up food events, starting in October this year.

Check out our website here: http://www.pomegranate.org.nz/

 

How can I help welcome and support former refugees into our city?

Helping us get underway is a great way to make a real difference - it sends a message of support as well as money to get stuff done.

 

What will my money be used for?

You will be supporting our first 3 months costs to help us get up and running, including:

  • On-job training and coaching - practicing English in the kitchen, health and safety, food hygiene, knife skills, food preparation, food presentation
  • Coordinating a more formal catering skills training programme
  • Coordinating an “English for Cooks” language course
  • Renting a commercial kitchen
  • Buying kitchen equipment, aprons and knives
  • Menu design and testing
  • Core ingredients
  • Liaison with restaurants and chefs around Wellington to expand work experience
  • Coordination and administration work.

 

Our team

  

Rebecca Stewart - General Manager, Co-founder

Rebecca is a Wellingtonian who loves to eat! She has a background in not for profits, particularly program evaluation, in New Zealand Australia, India and Fiji. Most recently she worked for New Zealand Red Cross.

 

 

Ange Wither - Co-founder, Board Member

Ange is an incredible cook and food obsessive with a background in organisational learning and development. Her favourite thing to make is sourdough.

 

 

Hajar Mazraeh - Supervisor

Hajar is originally from Iran and ran a pita bread business as a refugee in Indonesia while awaiting a visa.

 

 

Muna Al Naser - Cook

Muna is originally from Syria. Recently she was asked to help design a menu and share her cooking skills with Logan Brown restaurant.

 

Genet Seyoum - Cook

Genet is originally from Ethiopia but has spent some time in Egypt.

 

Fatima Qasim Ali - Cook

Fatima is originally from Afghanistan.

 

Hawa Kusama Fitzgerald - Board Member

Hawa is a Kiwi originally from Indonesia. She currently works for New Zealand Red Cross providing support in refugee resettlement. In a former life Hawa ran a large catering company, and still makes elaborate cakes and traditional Indonesian foods from time to time.

 

Scott Barrett - Food Advisor, Board Member

Scott is originally from Australia but is now fully integrated into Kiwi life. He was the owner of the popular Elements cafe in Lyall Bay for many years, and now operates the Eat Street food truck.

 

Please share our campaign, pledge for some delicious treats, like us on Facebook, and use us for your catering needs.  

Comments

Updates 2

We made it!!

23/11/2016 at 3:16 PM

First of all, a massive THANK YOU to our crowd! It’s so heartening to know that you believe in what we are doing and in the futures of our former refugee cooks - what an amazing welcome to New Zealand after all the things they have been through. We really couldn’t have done it without you. Already we have been able to purchase a bench top deep fryer for the falafel which is much safer and more precise. The cooks hadn’t used one before but took to it well!

For those of you who ordered individual lunches, we are still working on the website to be able to take your orders, and this should be up in the next two weeks. We will email you with a code which you can then use as and when you wish.

We loved the fact that so many people wanted to meet the cooks. After all, this is why we are doing it! We were thinking of having a few morning tea events so as not to overwhelm them – you can come along, try some new menu ideas, and have an informal chat.

Some people just wanted to Pledge, which is especially generous, and a special shout-out to three friends of mine who pooled together and purchased the reward for corporates to have their logo on the side of our food carrier. I was a little worried about who would purchase that as some companies are more aligned with our values than others! I have offered to put these three peoples’ faces on the side of the food carrier so we will see how it goes.

For all the rest of you, we will be in touch! Thanks again!

Rebecca, Ange, and the Pomegranate Kitchen team

Halfway and Halfway!

26/10/2016 at 7:27 PM

Hello supporters of Pomegranate Kitchen!

First of all, a massive thank you for pledging to our project. It's been so mind-blowing to see the support we have received already. Your pledges will go towards much-needed equipment and ingredients, as well as venue hire and staff salaries - so we can pump out delicious goodies to you, made with love by women from a refugee background! I have been reading out some of your messages to the women in the kitchen on our coffee break - they are amazed and touched that so many of you want to help us get going.

Now, we are halfway there in both senses, only 15 days to go and 7,200 till we meet our (first) goal. Can you help get us over the line? You could:

  • Share our project on your social media pages or around your office, using the photos and links below;
  • Order a morning tea from us (through this page http://www.pomegranate.org.nz/contact-us) and promote us to your workmates or your company; or
  • Donate a reward for us to share to other Pledgers - this could be an item, skill or event!

We have just finished up two weeks in the pop up pods at Moore Wilson's (see blog here: http://www.pomegranate.org.nz/blog) and it was great to see some of your faces down there. Let's keep this momentum going!

Heartfelt thanks again to all of you,

 

Rebecca and Ange

 

The link to our campaign: http://pldg.me/pomegranate

Our website: http://www.pomegranate.org.nz

Our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pomegranatekitchennz

Our Twitter (NEW!): https://twitter.com/Pomegranate_NZ

A photo for you to share

Social tile Pledgeme

 

    Pledgers 230

    Anonymous pledger
    10/11/2016 at 11:40am

    "Raised at the Sustainable Business Network Wellington end of year Green Drinks. Congratulations and thanks for catering the event! "

    Merel Bats
    09/11/2016 at 10:52am

    "Great idea!"

    Anonymous pledger
    09/11/2016 at 10:37am
    Leonie
    09/11/2016 at 10:15am

    "Wonderful initiative, congratulations on meeting your target and good luck to everyone."

    Jessica Venning-Bryan
    08/11/2016 at 9:54pm

    "Such a wonderful idea. I wish you all the luck in the world (and look forward to my lunch!)"

    Anonymous pledger
    08/11/2016 at 2:19pm
    Howard Taylor
    08/11/2016 at 1:52pm
    Andy Gray
    08/11/2016 at 10:38am
    Ruby Brunton
    08/11/2016 at 10:27am
    Lillian Fougere
    08/11/2016 at 8:25am
    Christine O'Connell
    07/11/2016 at 10:46pm
    sofia
    07/11/2016 at 10:16pm
    Anonymous pledger
    07/11/2016 at 9:58pm
    Moerangi
    07/11/2016 at 9:09pm
    Anonymous pledger
    07/11/2016 at 9:08pm

    "Brilliant idea and thank you for your work. Welcome to our new New Zealanders. "

    Tom Howell
    07/11/2016 at 8:40pm
    Jack Du
    07/11/2016 at 8:33pm

    "Keep up the amazing work you're doing!"

    Diane Cavallo
    07/11/2016 at 8:30pm

    "A wonderful idea that will help many. Have thought often about how to support refugee mothers of those I teach.Hope you expand to Auckland. "

    Anne Scott and Roger Howard
    07/11/2016 at 8:25pm

    "Great idea thanks we've booked two places so we can both enjoy it"

    Anne Scott and Roger Howard
    07/11/2016 at 8:22pm
    Fred Albert
    07/11/2016 at 8:20pm
    Jordan McCluskey
    07/11/2016 at 7:43pm
    Sandra Furness
    07/11/2016 at 4:24pm
    Kristina Harris
    07/11/2016 at 4:17pm
    Lilias Pears
    07/11/2016 at 4:15pm

    "Hearing about Pomegranate today in voices programme (rnz) has made my day. "

    Ollie Tabooger
    07/11/2016 at 3:58pm
    Kristen Paterson
    07/11/2016 at 2:10pm
    Dominic Francis
    07/11/2016 at 11:02am

    "Amazing cause! "

    Heather Macdonald and Jen Shieff
    07/11/2016 at 8:14am
    Eleanor Lee-Duncan
    06/11/2016 at 4:41pm

    "This is an amazing idea and we're so excited to try your delicious food!"

    Followers 3

    Pomegranate Kitchen

    Project 2016-05-19 13:07:46 +1200

    Who are we?

    Pomegranate Kitchen is a new social enterprise that will be cooking delicious food for Wellingtonians, while providing training and work for former refugees.

    Why are we doing this?

    Refugees face major hurdles when they arrive in New Zealand, and finding a job is one of the biggest.  Our research tells us getting a job will make a significant difference for how well former refugees integrate into our Wellington community.

     

    What will we be doing?

    We will deliver lunches to workplaces, provide catering services, and run pop-up food events, starting in October this year.

    Check out our website here: http://www.pomegranate.org.nz/

     

    How can I help welcome and support former refugees into our city?

    Helping us get underway is a great way to make a real difference - it sends a message of support as well as money to get stuff done.

     

    What will my money be used for?

    You will be supporting our first 3 months costs to help us get up and running, including:

    • On-job training and coaching - practicing English in the kitchen, health and safety, food hygiene, knife skills, food preparation, food presentation
    • Coordinating a more formal catering skills training programme
    • Coordinating an “English for Cooks” language course
    • Renting a commercial kitchen
    • Buying kitchen equipment, aprons and knives
    • Menu design and testing
    • Core ingredients
    • Liaison with restaurants and chefs around Wellington to expand work experience
    • Coordination and administration work.

     

    Our team

      

    Rebecca Stewart - General Manager, Co-founder

    Rebecca is a Wellingtonian who loves to eat! She has a background in not for profits, particularly program evaluation, in New Zealand Australia, India and Fiji. Most recently she worked for New Zealand Red Cross.

     

     

    Ange Wither - Co-founder, Board Member

    Ange is an incredible cook and food obsessive with a background in organisational learning and development. Her favourite thing to make is sourdough.

     

     

    Hajar Mazraeh - Supervisor

    Hajar is originally from Iran and ran a pita bread business as a refugee in Indonesia while awaiting a visa.

     

     

    Muna Al Naser - Cook

    Muna is originally from Syria. Recently she was asked to help design a menu and share her cooking skills with Logan Brown restaurant.

     

    Genet Seyoum - Cook

    Genet is originally from Ethiopia but has spent some time in Egypt.

     

    Fatima Qasim Ali - Cook

    Fatima is originally from Afghanistan.

     

    Hawa Kusama Fitzgerald - Board Member

    Hawa is a Kiwi originally from Indonesia. She currently works for New Zealand Red Cross providing support in refugee resettlement. In a former life Hawa ran a large catering company, and still makes elaborate cakes and traditional Indonesian foods from time to time.

     

    Scott Barrett - Food Advisor, Board Member

    Scott is originally from Australia but is now fully integrated into Kiwi life. He was the owner of the popular Elements cafe in Lyall Bay for many years, and now operates the Eat Street food truck.

     

    Please share our campaign, pledge for some delicious treats, like us on Facebook, and use us for your catering needs.  

    Comments

    We made it!!

    23/11/2016 at 3:16 PM

    First of all, a massive THANK YOU to our crowd! It’s so heartening to know that you believe in what we are doing and in the futures of our former refugee cooks - what an amazing welcome to New Zealand after all the things they have been through. We really couldn’t have done it without you. Already we have been able to purchase a bench top deep fryer for the falafel which is much safer and more precise. The cooks hadn’t used one before but took to it well!

    For those of you who ordered individual lunches, we are still working on the website to be able to take your orders, and this should be up in the next two weeks. We will email you with a code which you can then use as and when you wish.

    We loved the fact that so many people wanted to meet the cooks. After all, this is why we are doing it! We were thinking of having a few morning tea events so as not to overwhelm them – you can come along, try some new menu ideas, and have an informal chat.

    Some people just wanted to Pledge, which is especially generous, and a special shout-out to three friends of mine who pooled together and purchased the reward for corporates to have their logo on the side of our food carrier. I was a little worried about who would purchase that as some companies are more aligned with our values than others! I have offered to put these three peoples’ faces on the side of the food carrier so we will see how it goes.

    For all the rest of you, we will be in touch! Thanks again!

    Rebecca, Ange, and the Pomegranate Kitchen team

    Halfway and Halfway!

    26/10/2016 at 7:27 PM

    Hello supporters of Pomegranate Kitchen!

    First of all, a massive thank you for pledging to our project. It's been so mind-blowing to see the support we have received already. Your pledges will go towards much-needed equipment and ingredients, as well as venue hire and staff salaries - so we can pump out delicious goodies to you, made with love by women from a refugee background! I have been reading out some of your messages to the women in the kitchen on our coffee break - they are amazed and touched that so many of you want to help us get going.

    Now, we are halfway there in both senses, only 15 days to go and 7,200 till we meet our (first) goal. Can you help get us over the line? You could:

    • Share our project on your social media pages or around your office, using the photos and links below;
    • Order a morning tea from us (through this page http://www.pomegranate.org.nz/contact-us) and promote us to your workmates or your company; or
    • Donate a reward for us to share to other Pledgers - this could be an item, skill or event!

    We have just finished up two weeks in the pop up pods at Moore Wilson's (see blog here: http://www.pomegranate.org.nz/blog) and it was great to see some of your faces down there. Let's keep this momentum going!

    Heartfelt thanks again to all of you,

     

    Rebecca and Ange

     

    The link to our campaign: http://pldg.me/pomegranate

    Our website: http://www.pomegranate.org.nz

    Our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pomegranatekitchennz

    Our Twitter (NEW!): https://twitter.com/Pomegranate_NZ

    A photo for you to share

    Social tile Pledgeme

     

      Anonymous pledger
      10/11/2016 at 11:40am

      "Raised at the Sustainable Business Network Wellington end of year Green Drinks. Congratulations and thanks for catering the event! "

      Merel Bats
      09/11/2016 at 10:52am

      "Great idea!"

      Anonymous pledger
      09/11/2016 at 10:37am
      Leonie
      09/11/2016 at 10:15am

      "Wonderful initiative, congratulations on meeting your target and good luck to everyone."

      Jessica Venning-Bryan
      08/11/2016 at 9:54pm

      "Such a wonderful idea. I wish you all the luck in the world (and look forward to my lunch!)"

      Anonymous pledger
      08/11/2016 at 2:19pm
      Howard Taylor
      08/11/2016 at 1:52pm
      Andy Gray
      08/11/2016 at 10:38am
      Ruby Brunton
      08/11/2016 at 10:27am
      Lillian Fougere
      08/11/2016 at 8:25am
      Christine O'Connell
      07/11/2016 at 10:46pm
      sofia
      07/11/2016 at 10:16pm
      Anonymous pledger
      07/11/2016 at 9:58pm
      Moerangi
      07/11/2016 at 9:09pm
      Anonymous pledger
      07/11/2016 at 9:08pm

      "Brilliant idea and thank you for your work. Welcome to our new New Zealanders. "

      Tom Howell
      07/11/2016 at 8:40pm
      Jack Du
      07/11/2016 at 8:33pm

      "Keep up the amazing work you're doing!"

      Diane Cavallo
      07/11/2016 at 8:30pm

      "A wonderful idea that will help many. Have thought often about how to support refugee mothers of those I teach.Hope you expand to Auckland. "

      Anne Scott and Roger Howard
      07/11/2016 at 8:25pm

      "Great idea thanks we've booked two places so we can both enjoy it"

      Anne Scott and Roger Howard
      07/11/2016 at 8:22pm
      Fred Albert
      07/11/2016 at 8:20pm
      Jordan McCluskey
      07/11/2016 at 7:43pm
      Sandra Furness
      07/11/2016 at 4:24pm
      Kristina Harris
      07/11/2016 at 4:17pm
      Lilias Pears
      07/11/2016 at 4:15pm

      "Hearing about Pomegranate today in voices programme (rnz) has made my day. "

      Ollie Tabooger
      07/11/2016 at 3:58pm
      Kristen Paterson
      07/11/2016 at 2:10pm
      Dominic Francis
      07/11/2016 at 11:02am

      "Amazing cause! "

      Heather Macdonald and Jen Shieff
      07/11/2016 at 8:14am
      Eleanor Lee-Duncan
      06/11/2016 at 4:41pm

      "This is an amazing idea and we're so excited to try your delicious food!"

      This campaign was successful and got its funding on 10/11/2016 at 1:00 AM.