Takeout 25 Nfp

TAKEOUT 25 HAS BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY (11,800+ MEMBERS) AND BUSINESSES (75+ RESTAURANTS) TOGETHER IN A POSITIVE MOVEMENT TOWARD BUILDING A THRIVING COMMUNITY. WE HAVE ORGANIZED AND EXPANDED COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BECOME A BIG PART OF OUR LOCAL FABRIC: TAKEOUT 25 TASTE THE TOWN, AND BARRIEFEST (IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEOPCO) ARE GOOD EXAMPLES. WE ALSO ORGANIZE A MEET-UP FOR RESTAURANT OWNERS TWICE A YEAR IN APRIL AND OCTOBER. OVER THE LAST YEAR WE EXPANDED OUR FOCUS FROM JUST OAK PARK TO OAK PARK AND ALL ITS NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. POST-PANDEMIC, WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR MISSION FROM ECONOMIC ENABLEMENT OF LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES TO INCLUDE SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD INSECURITY, WHILE STILL EMPHASIZING ECONOMIC RECOVERY. 10% OF US RESTAURANTS CLOSED PERMANENTLY AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC. IN COMPARISON, THERE HAVE BEEN VERY FEW CLOSURES IN OAK PARK AND NOT A SINGLE CLOSURE DIRECTLY RESULTING FROM THE PANDEMIC. THIS YEAR WE HAVE SEEN RECORD NUMBER OF NEW BUSINESS PERMIT APPLICATIONS IN OAK PARK AND A VAST MAJORITY OF THESE APPLICATIONS ARE FOOD BUSINESSES. TAKEOUT 25 HAS HAD A KEY ROLE IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. TAKEOUT 25 FACILITATED MEAL DELIVERY FROM RESTAURANTS TO WARMING CENTERS FOR THE HOMELESS AT RUSH AND WEST SUB HOSPITALS THIS PAST WINTER. IN SEPARATE INITIATIVES, WE COLLECTED PLASTIC WASTE TO RECYCLE INTO A BENCH DONATED TO THE OP MAIN LIBRARY AND AS ART TO THE CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN. THIS IMPACT RESULTED IN TAKEOUT 25 BEING RECOGNIZED AS THE MOST INNOVATIVE PANDEMIC STARTUP AT THE ILLINOIS GOVERNORS CONFERENCE ON TOURISM IN 2021. IT ALSO PROMPTED FRANK BATTEN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY AND LEADERSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA TO CREATE A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CASE STUDY FEATURING TAKEOUT 25. THIS CASE STUDY IS BEING PUBLISHED BY SAGE PUBLICATIONS AND AVAILABLE TO ALL BUSINESS SCHOOL CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE US. WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE ABOVE IN A FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY RAISING ~100K IN OUR FIRST FISCAL YEAR AND ENDING THE YEAR WITH A SURPLUS.