Fort Lauderdale, FL – Fort Lauderdale Housing Authority (HACFL) and the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society (FLHS) have partnered with Refresh Live’s Chef Chad Cherry to launch the inaugural Fort Lauderdale Culinary Experience at New River Inn (located at 231 SW 2nd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale) on Tuesday, May 1st from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Fort Lauderdale Culinary Experience is a free, after-hours, live culinary demonstration that will feature local produce grown in Northwest Gardens’ community garden.
Refresh Live is a food, education, and lifestyle company, dedicated to refreshing people’s relationship, knowledge, and experience with healthier food. They provide farm-to-table and organic lifestyle community education; programs to combat food disparity in income-challenged neighborhoods; a young-adult entrepreneurship apprenticeship program; and culinary and catering support for non-profit organizations.
“We believe that food is a common connector that brings people together,” expressed Chef Chad Cherry, president of Refresh Live. “We have seen how communities suffer because of food inequality. We strive to stay involved and contribute to the health of the community and educate them on how to live a healthy conscious lifestyle.”
Northwest Gardens features six community gardens and, through an alliance with the YMCA of South Florida and other agencies, residents are engaged in numerous programs. These programs include chef-based classes covering healthy food shopping, preparation, and coupon clipping; the Sistrunk Healthy Community Zone; homeownership education courses; free GED classes; and ‘Artists in Residence’ programs where artists are nurtured and encouraged to develop their creativity into marketable work.
“We aim to create a sustainable and healthy community and we are excited to continue highlighting Northwest Gardens’ urban farm produce through a variety of events and initiatives,” expressed Scott Strawbridge, director of Development and Facilities of the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale. “Our partnership with the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society is growing strong and we look forward to continue our collective efforts.”
In February 2018, FLHS partnered with HACFL’s StepUP Apprenticeship Program to restore the New River Inn. This partnership provides apprentices a unique opportunity to enhance their construction skills on historical restoration, as well as expand their professional portfolio. As a result, StepUP apprentices will perform additional restoration work building windows, painting, basic plumbing, and general building maintenance on six FLHS buildings.
For more information about the Fort Lauderdale Culinary Experience contact Rebekah Bibee at rebekah@theideainc.com. To learn more about the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale, visit www.hacfl.com or call (954) 556-4100.
