Lucille’s 1913, Kinder Foundation and Emancipation Park Conservancy Join Forces to Provide 5000 Holiday Meals for Third Ward Residents on Dec. 23
Lucille’s 1913 Conscious Community Collective invites local families to receive holiday meals at Emancipation Park on Wednesday, Dec. 23, at a drive-thru event facilitated by Lucille’s 1913 in collaboration with Emancipation Park Conservancy and sponsored by the Kinder Foundation.
The partnership will provide 5,000 meals for 1,000 families from the Greater Third Ward area, including residents of the 77004 and 77021 zip codes, Cuney Homes, Project Row Houses, churches and community groups.
“This is in line with the mission of Lucille’s 1913 from the very beginning, which is to feed those in need in these difficult times,” said Chris Williams, chef/owner at Lucille’s and founder of Lucille’s 1913. “As a resident of Third Ward, I can see the need every single day. We were trying to think of how to have the biggest impact in the safest way possible, and we’re grateful to partner with Kinder Foundation and Emancipation Park Conservancy to pull this initiative off.”
The RSVP-only event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef’s Produce will provide a refrigerated truck to keep the meals throughout the day. Attendees can RSVP and reserve their family’s meal package by registering on Lucille’s at Emancipation Park Holiday Meal Giveaway on Eventbrite. For more information, call (832) 802-7136. Driving recipients will be asked to have their vehicle trunks open at the site to receive their holiday meal. Walk-ups or bus-riding guests will be asked to observe social distancing guidelines and wear masks.
Lucille’s 1913 is seeking volunteers to assist with meal distribution and will provide masks, gloves and hand sanitizers for volunteers and staff. Volunteers can sign up at lucilles1913.org, (832) 710-0953 or info@1913catering.com.
“We appreciate this great partnership with the Kinder Foundation and Lucille’s 1913 to support the Third Ward community,” said Ramon Manning, Board Chairman of Emancipation Park Conservancy. “This has been a challenging year for many families, and providing holiday cheer through meal distributions is a need that residents will be thrilled to receive and experience at Emancipation Park.”
“We value the Third Ward community and appreciate the opportunity to partner with Lucille’s 1913 and Emancipation Park Conservancy to bring holiday meals to so many families,” shares Nancy Kinder, President and CEO of the Kinder Foundation. “We look forward to sharing the holiday spirit at Emancipation Park.”
Lucille’s 1913 has donated 100,000 meals to Houstonians in need since the start of Covid-19, an effort primarily self-funded by Williams and Lucille’s. Each meal is thoughtfully created with regard to the palate of the communities which Lucille’s 1913 serves. The individually packed meals on Dec. 23 will feature chicken breast, macaroni and cheese and Virginia-style green beans.
About Lucille’s 1913
Lucille’s 1913 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit started in 2020 by chef Chris Williams to feed and nourish Houston’s most vulnerable communities, most notably the city’s elderly population, and those that have been affected the most by Covid-19. Lucille’s 1913 provides more than 1,400 meals a day to underserved communities in Sunnyside, Acres Homes, Fifth Ward and Third Ward. A staff of 18, led by executive chef Lawrence Walker, produces the meals each morning from kitchens at the Power Center in Southwest Houston and at 2814 Lyons Ave in Fifth Ward. To find out more, visit www.lucilles1913.org.
About Kinder Foundation
The Kinder Foundation, a family foundation established in 1997 by Rich and Nancy Kinder, has distributed nearly $444 million in gifts to transformational projects in the areas of urban green space, education and quality of life. In the Third Ward, the Kinder Foundation is involved in several initiatives including Emancipation Park, Project Row Houses, Emancipation Economic Development Council, and the Law Harrington Senior Center. For information visit kinderfoundation.org.
About Emancipation Park Conservancy
Emancipation Park was founded in 1872 by formerly enslaved African Americans led by Reverend Jack Yates, Richard Allen, Richard Brock and Rev. Elias Dibble. These men, along with members of the Third and Fourth Ward communities, gathered $800 to purchase the 10 acres of land and celebrate their freedom. In 2013, the park underwent a $33.6 million renovation and later reopened in June 2017. Several public-private partnerships and the community worked to revitalize the greenspace to allow for more economic and sustainable opportunities. Emancipation Park Conservancy, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, was established in 2014 to restore, manage and enhance Emancipation Park. Its purpose is to create an open space of environmental and community excellence while continuing to preserve the park’s integrity and historical roots. Its goal is to transform the park into one of the nation’s premier landmark destinations through capital initiatives, operational improvements, strategic partnerships, programming and special events. For more, visit www.epconservancy.org.
Photo credit: Jenn Duncan