Meet Addison: Freshbox Intern

Addison Witt is a welcoming addition to a fresh, new summer with Freshbox Catering. As a rising senior, majoring in Marketing at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana, Addison is eager to develop his passion for both business and community outreach. Don’t let his quiet demeanor fool you- Addison is full of “Witt” and jokes. He has brought a lot to our team already and we are excited to have him join the Freshbox family and add to our growth.   So here you go… his passions…his faults…his dreams..  enjoy!

How did you hear about Freshbox?
I heard about Freshbox through my mom.  She is in a women’s group at church and asked around if anyone knew of any summer internship openings.  One lady mentioned Freshbox so I looked them up online that night, was very impressed with their website, and sent in my application the next day!

What were the first impressions of the job?
My very first impression of this job was that it was unlike any other job in the food/catering business.  All of the employees seemed to know each other on a deep level.  There was a strong ‘family’ atmosphere and everyone seemed to enjoy the job a lot despite the early hours and fast-paced environment.  I knew I would enjoy it here from day one.

What’s something that sets Freshbox apart from other internships you’ve had in the past?
I actually have two internships this summer.  The other internship is also with a non-profit business; however, they are very different.  At Freshbox, I get the opportunity to learn a broad spectrum of tasks such as working on the sandwich assembly line, making deliveries, entering orders online, going on spontaneous errands, and helping with the business side of the company.  At my other internship, I am strictly in charge of the marketing side of the business.  I only work with one other person and I sit at a desk all day.  Freshbox incorporates their interns into the full scope of the business world while giving them the opportunity to impact their community and establish lifelong friendships.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?
If I could travel anywhere in the world I would want to go to New Zealand.  Their breath-taking mountain ranges and cool climate are very attractive to me.  New Zealand is known for their extreme sports and their large biodiversity.  80% of the plants in New Zealand are indigineous to the country, and they lead the world in species restoration.  Just talking about it gets me salivating.

What are some adjectives you would use to describe yourself?
Easygoing, Confident, Dedicated, Enjoyable

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I see myself married with a few kids, living in a nice suburb somewhere in the midwest.  I hope to be an up-and-coming businessman of a large corporation.  I also want to be the coach of my kids’ recreational sports teams and have a dog or two. No home is complete without a family dog.

If you could invent a totally new Freshbox sandwich what would it be?
Oh I know just the sandwich that would make everyone’s taste buds tingle! I’m a huge chicken man, so I would invent a chicken sandwich.  I would start with a grilled chicken breast with a hint of spice, add a slice of provolone cheese, and a few strips of Applewood smoked bacon.  Then I would throw on some crispy onion straws, add a juicy tomato slice, and then a leaf of fresh, crisp lettuce.  Finally, I would top it off with a glob of hickory barbecue sauce and BAM! I dare you not to drool over it.

What is an interesting fact about yourself that many people might not know? Be honest now…
An interesting fact about me is that I do not like pizza.  Many people call me “crazy” or “insane” or “not an American”, but I have just never liked the taste of it.  Give me a big juicy cheeseburger or fried chicken leg instead.

Two truths and a lie:
I once pushed a random little girl down at a roller skating rink because she was calling my girlfriend bad names.

I once won a shuffleboard tournament in Lakeside, OH when I was only 6 years old

One time I was exiting WalMart and as I was crossing the street with bags in both of my hands, my pants fell down.

_____________

**Lie:  Addison won a shuffleboard contest much later in life… 2 weeks ago!

Ok Ok, now we’re lying.  He won when he was 12!

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Fresh New Look

She was once lost, young, and afraid. . . She is now confident, mature, and bold.

She was once so plain, so dull, so boring. . . She is now the pride and joy of Freshbox.

No, I am not talking about the lovely Youmeakia or the new delicious hummus platters; I’m talking about the new tricked out Freshbox van that has hit the streets of Columbus with style, grace, and a fresh new look. It was an infamous day. Be on the lookout for our new “Bat-mobile”, “Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang”, “The Mystery Machine”. All these vehicles have made a name for themselves and have stood the test of time.  We want to join their ranks, but we need your help. Please join us on Facebook and Twitter and post your ideas on what we should name our delivery vehicle. This isn’t because we aren’t creative enough,but because you are Freshbox- without you we wouldn’t be where we are today. So get creative now… we want a name that will completely represent our brand and who we are as a social enterprise.

With our new freshly branded van we look to catch interested onlookers. This is just the beginning of our plans to better Freshbox inside and out. We want to be a business that is always bringing fresh and new concepts to better our community one sandwich at a time and we plan on doing that. This is an exciting time for us.

Once we have found a name for the new addition to our family, we will be posting a new series of blogs: “Where in the world is the Freshbox Van?” Be on the lookout for the van and if you can get a picture of yourself in front of this van during the months of June/July and post it on your Facebook page. We will be giving you a choice of one of our fresh and delicious boxed meals or a bag of five of our world famous hand-dipped, chocolate covered mint Oreos in your support of our mission.

How to name the van (…and win free stuff!):
1. Snap a picture of yourself in front of our newly branded van.
2. Post it on your Facebook wall with a short description of where you saw us.
3. Click “Like” on our Facebook Page and tag us using@FreshboxCatering in your post.
4. Last but not least – include your recommended name for our van in your post.
5. We will be in contact with you!

*This won’t be easy considering the Freshbox van is very illusive and doesn’t like to stay in the same spot for long. This task isn’t for the faint of heart, but that is why we are going to you, our faithful Freshbox followers!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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Meet Jackie: Freshbox Employee

It’s not often that you find someone as appreciative and humble as Jackie.  She’s got a great outlook on life and treats everyone with unfailing politeness and warmth.  We’ve had the pleasure of working with her at Freshbox for more than a month now and she fits in perfectly on our team.  She’s had all kinds of interesting life experiences; check out her profile to hear more about them!

How did you hear about Freshbox?
I heard about Freshbox from T. (another Freshbox employee).  She said that she was working at Freshbox and she hadn’t met anyone in the shelter that she’d recommend before she met me.

I created a Gmail account, submitted my resume, and prayed.  They called me back and offered me an interview.  I came in and after my interview they hired me.

What were your first impressions of the job?
It was fantastic.  Everyone was like a family and so encouraging.  I hadn’t worked in a kitchen in a long time….I used to manage a catering company but Freshbox is unique because it’s only cold food and everything is fresh.

What’s something that sets Freshbox apart from other jobs you’ve had in the past?
The compassion of the staff and management.  The rooting in the Lord.  I think it’s fantastic.  My favorite thing about Freshbox is learning how to laugh again and take pride in what I do.  When people order from Freshbox, the money goes back into the community to strengthen others.

The quality of the food is great too…Everything is prepared fresh daily.  I love to box the sandwiches because I have OCD and it pleases me that everything has a particular place to go.

What Pandora station do you pick when it’s your turn in the kitchen?
Usually William Murphy; he’s a gospel singer.  Or Anthony Hamilton; he sings real slow jazz.

Describe yourself in three words.
Charismatic.  Faithful.  Inspired.

What are you looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to having my own home – I’ve applied for several places and I believe that by Tuesday I’ll be in the apartment that God means for me to be.

I’m also looking forward to completing my education at Columbus State – I’m in third level psychology courses right now.  I’m working towards a certification in mental health/chemical dependency.  I took three months off while I was at the shelter but I’m enrolled now for summer courses.

I’m looking forward to reunification with my 15 year-old son.  I just mean to love him the way that God means for him to be loved.   As soon as I get into my apartment I’ll be able to start pursuing it.

What are some challenges you’ve faced?
Challenges I’ve faced are setting boundaries and putting myself first.  I’ve often found myself taking care of others and allowing people to take advantage of me. I had to learn that it was okay to say no or to put myself first because if I’m not ok then I can’t do anything for anyone else.  Another challenge I’ve faced is staying still enough to let God work.  Oftentimes I get very busy and try to control things.  I used to think that it was about me and what I did.  Now I know that if I ask God and rest in Him, He orders every step.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I see myself working in the mental health field.  Paying it forward and making a difference in the lives of other people by encouraging them to be greater.  I’d like to stay in Columbus and be in my own home.  Ideally it would have a backyard so I can plant flowers and throw a Frisbee to my dog.  I don’t have a dog right now but I’m going to get one.  When you walk through the front door, dogs are always happy to see you come home.

If you could invent a totally new Freshbox sandwich, what would it be?
Corned beef with thousand island dressing, swiss cheese, and sour cream on rye bread.  I grew up in Cincinnati and they have a restaurant called Izzy’s that serves corn beef sandwiches.  My daddy used to take me there when I was a little girl.

Fun facts:
I love to be outside doing any kind of yard work or jogging.  Reading is my passion.  I like to read spiritual material…I absolutely love Beth Moore.

I lived in Georgia for a while.  I ran a printing company printing business cards and wedding invitations on an old-style printing press with plates and everything.

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What would you do with 200 Oreos?

While other people hang out on their lunch breaks talking about things like the NFL lock-out and who just got kicked off American Idol, we at Freshbox ponder what we’d do if we each had Oreos.  Lots of Oreos.  You know, the chocolate-covered Freshbox kind.  The ideas have been flowing for a while so we decided to share them with you, our loyal customers…here’s what each of us would do if we had 200 Freshbox Oreos.

Addison
I would make all the Oreos into some kind of liquid like a milkshake and then I’d put them into a beer guzzler helmet (the kind with two straws that go down to your mouth) and I’d drink it.

Jackie
That’s a lot of Oreos.  I can tell you exactly what I’d do.  I’d go to the daycare center at the YWCA and give one to each of the kids.  I’d juice them all up…kids love Oreos!

Youmeakia
I’d have to lock my house to keep my boyfriend’s niece and nephews away from the Oreos.  They’ve had them before and they have no problem knocking on the door at midnight to ask for more.  I would make a mint Oreo cream pie.

Ryan
First I would eat ten of them. Then I would drive down High Street and throw them to people in dire need of a delicious minty Oreo glazed with white, milk, or dark chocolate.  The Oreos are sure to change anyone’s day who dares to take a bite of that luscious goodness.

Mike
I would eat a couple Oreos the first day and within the next couple of days I would go out on a corner and pass them out to help advertise for Freshbox.  If I had any extra, I would give them to my son and his friends.  But I’d still keep some of the white chocolate ones for myself, I’m not going to lie.

Kelly
Is it bad to say that I’d use them as bribes?  I’d make a giant Oreo pie with them.

Tania
I’m trying to convince my significant other that it’s totally possible for us to go on a 50-mile hike without training.  I think I might just get him to go if I promise that we would have 200 Oreos for fuel.  We could also trade them with fellow hikers for important things like water and non-chocolate forms of sustenance.

T.
I would eat all 200.  No, I would eat half and I would give the other half away to let people know that these cookies are really good.  They’d come up later and ask where I got them from and I’d tell them about Freshbox.

Lenan
I’d take them to Gene Smith, the athletic director at Ohio State, and try to trade them for Ohio State Football season tickets.

Keyetta
I would build a house out of the Oreos and take it to a kindergarten.

Feel free to steal our ideas for yourself, we won’t mind.  The beer guzzler helmet Oreo milkshake in particular seems like a feasible plan.  You could come up with your own Oreo dream too…what would YOU do with 200 Freshbox Oreos?

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Meet LeNan: Our New General Manager!

LeNan took over for Joe DeLoss as the new General Manager of Freshbox Catering on May 9, 2011.  Her many years of experience in catering, sales, and the restaurant industry make her a welcome addition to the Freshbox team.  Aside from LeNan’s work experience, her energy and maternal instincts will be key in maintaining enthusiasm in the kitchen and keeping everything running smoothly.  Now that we’ve had a chance to get to know her, we’d like to introduce her to you too!

Can you tell us about yourself?
I was born and raised in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  I moved to Columbus to study at OSU and graduated in 1996 with a degree in communications.  I love the fact that Columbus feels like a small town but actually has a vibrant, diverse community that offers a lot for everyone.

I don’t have children but I do have a Rottweiler named Roma who I adopted from rescuers.  My family is really interesting; I’ve got a brother living in Dubai, another who just moved back from Rio de Janiero, and a sister who’s a talented artist in Boston.  My father designed and constructed the only lighthouse built in the U.S. in the 20^th century; it’s called the Great Point Lighthouse and it’s in Nantucket.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at Freshbox?
I’m an avid sports enthusiast, both as a participant and spectator.  I love to golf.  My favorite sports teams are the Ohio State Buckeyes, the New England Patriots, and the Boston Celtics and Red Sox.

I spend a lot of time gardening in my yard.  I just got a new lawn mower and now I actually enjoy mowing the lawn!   I also love to cook and entertain; I have people over a lot.  I love to make low country food and I make fierce jambalaya.  I’m known for making soups and stews from scratch and my lobster bisque is legendary.

I’m an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church…I’m in the bell choir and alter guild and I’m the church council secretary.

Why did you apply to Freshbox?
Lutheran Social Services staff sought me out and asked me to apply for the position of General Manager.   I’d heard of Freshbox Catering because I’d worked in catering myself.  I knew that it was a nonprofit with a social mission but I didn’t know all the details.

I decided to apply because it would give me the opportunity to do what I loved, which is catering and impacting lives.  I feel really lucky to be able to help people while doing what I love.

What were your first impressions of Freshbox?  Was there anything that surprised you?
Well, for the first two weeks I was here at 5:30am every morning so my first impressions were that it was early and dark.  Jokes aside, there was a really generous, positive energy and I could tell that people genuinely wanted to help each other.  Also, I was surprised by how consistently busy we are.  My first week we did 200-300 meals per day.   Even without much experience in the food industry, Joe and Kelly put together a great catering machine.  I’d never had a Freshbox sandwich before and I love them!

What’s your favorite sandwich so far?
I think the Napoli.  It’s just delicious.

What part of the job do you look forward to when you arrive in the morning?
Everything.  Just being with everyone and knowing that we’re helping people.  When I get to work I look forward to finding out what music we’re listening to for the day; I love music.

Any exciting changes coming up at Freshbox?
We’re contemplating adding a seasonal sandwich or two.  We’re also considering adding breakfast to our repertoire.

We like to play two truths and a lie…each member of the team shares two true things about themselves and one lie.  The reader has to guess which two are true and which one isn’t.  Want to play?

Sure!

a)      I don’t care for chocolate; I don’t eat cookies (except a few Freshbox Oreos here and there) and when people put dessert down in a big spread, I don’t eat it.  I’m a great baker, though, and I cook desserts for other people.

b)      I’ve driven cross-country by myself twice.  On one of the trips I read through the entire book The Graduate each night in the hotel to keep from getting bored or lonely.

c)       Once I had great seats at a Clippers game right behind the batter’s box.  The guy who was at bat let the bat go and it actually went through the net tail-end first, right over our heads, and landed in the seats behind us.  The net’s there to prevent that from happening so the odds of the bat going through tail-end first are very small.  At the same exact game a person was walking with a tray of beer and a ball actually landed right on the tray.

Scroll down for the answer…

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Lie:  b

Truth:  It’s true that I’ve driven cross-country twice, but I didn’t read The Graduate while I was in the hotel rooms…I read it while I was driving through the desolate Plains states.  I just held up my book, rode, and read.

We’re excited to have LeNan on board.  The door’s always open at Freshbox or if you want to shoot LeNan an email to say hi, her email address is gm@freshboxcatering.com.

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Meet Keyetta: Freshbox Employee

Keyetta has got to be the most spunky, outgoing employee to ever grace the doorway of Freshbox (and that’s saying something).  If Keyetta’s in the kitchen, you know it; she can be heard singing her favorite gospel songs from just about anywhere within a half block radius.  Thanks to Keyetta’s time growing up in Mississippi, she brings some Southern style and flair to the kitchen.  Her home state also explains her penchant for po’ boy sandwiches and gumbo.  Check out Keyetta’s profile for more information about what this Southern gal is up to in Ohio and what she hopes to do next.

How did you hear about Freshbox?
A lady at the shelter told me about it.  We were having a housing meeting and I said I was looking for another job because my first job wasn’t bringing in enough income.  She suggested Freshbox.  I wrote an essay about why I should be able to work at Freshbox and set up an interview.  After my interview with the team, they called me back a day later to let me know that I could start work.

What were your first impressions of the job?
It looked pretty easy.  It was a fun environment.  Joe and Kelly were funny and I talked a whole lot so I got to know everybody.  I got to taste-test all the sandwiches. I started off wrapping pickles and the first thing I did on the line was meat dispersing.

What’s something that sets Freshbox apart from other jobs you’ve had in the past?
It’s a good atmosphere, the people are laid back.  You get to know each person on a personal level where on another job you wouldn’t have that opportunity.  We have regular meals together, pizza parties…plenty of those.  We all get free sandwiches for lunch every day.  Our SOS sessions¹ are good; if you’ve got something on your mind or want to congratulate someone on a job well done, you can get it out during SOS.  Even though there are a lot of women, there aren’t a lot of problems that you’d think there would be.

What Pandora station do you pick when it’s your turn in the kitchen?
I like oldies and the blues.  Billie Holiday, BB King, and some old Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross songs.

How would you describe yourself?
Funny.  Moody.  Very loud.  I think that sums me up.

What are you looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to hopefully passing the ServSafe test² because it will be something that I can always fall back on.  Hopefully keeping the friendships from Freshbox; keeping the people I met here in my life.  I am a backup singer for a gospel group and we leave June 2^nd to go to Detroit, Atlanta, and Tennessee for a short tour.  After that I’ll be back at Freshbox.

What are some challenges you’ve faced?
I’ve two jobs right now just to maintain a decent living and I’m still below the curve.  I go from Freshbox to Golden Corral and I get off from there at 12:30am, and I come back at Freshbox by 6am.  It’s challenging because it’s still hard to pay the bills.  I got in trouble back in the day and I still have to pay that off.  The majority of the time I can’t seem to come out on top financially but I don’t let that get me down.  If I did I’d just be moping all the time.  I keep a positive attitude, I keep my head up.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully back on track.  Owning my own business. I have a couple of business ideas.  I want to open a rec center for troubled teens.  When I was growing up my dad kept me on a tight leash…there was nothing nearby for him to let me do so I had to stay home.  But if there was something like a rec center with responsible adults, if we had that, then maybe my childhood would have been a little different.  I want to give that opportunity to other kids so that they can do other things like play sports.
I also want to open a business like Freshbox to give other people second chances.  Tell them about new trades and opportunities.  That’s why I thought Freshbox was a good idea.  I told you I might steal this idea when I go back home to Mississippi.

If you could invent a totally new Freshbox sandwich, what would it be?
I like po’ boys.  They’ve got a thicker bread and the majority of the time in the South we take shrimp, crawfish, catfish, seafood, whatever we’ve got, and fry it.  We put whatever we want on it.  I put mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Fun facts:
I love to swim.  I used to be on a swim team in high school from junior high through graduation.  I used to do track too, but you can probably see that I don’t do that anymore.

I write poetry, mostly about my feelings, but a couple of love ones too.

I love to cook…it’s one of my favorite hobbies.  My favorite dish that I make is seared steak, sautéed shrimp, and scallops.  I learned to make it by experimenting.  My favorite dish that I make from home, that I could eat all the time, is my homemade chicken pot pie. My mom used to make it for us in the winter when we were younger and I just kind of developed my own recipe based off that.  In my family you don’t teach each other your recipes; you just watch and develop you own taste buds.  I remember when I was 3 or 5 years old and my dad used to cook, I would stand in a chair next to the stove watching him.

¹SOS sessions – SOS stands for Successes, Opportunities, and Solutions.  The employees at Freshbox participate in an SOS session at the end of each workday to reflect on what went well in the kitchen that day, what could have gone better, and what could be improved in the future.  It’s a great way to show appreciation and encouragement for each other, and to make sure that we’re always improving our product.

²ServSafe test – Employees in their third level of employment, Customer Rep, have an opportunity to take the ServSafe training and test as an elective to our training system.  ServSafe is a food safety training and certificate program administered by the National Restaurant Association.

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Celebrating Amazing Admins

Last week was Administrative Professionals week.  We couldn’t let it pass us by without showing some of our favorite admins how much we appreciate them.  Throughout the course of the week we dropped off small tokens of our appreciation to every admin whose organization ordered from Freshbox.  On Friday, we surprised the admins who’d been nominated through our Administrative Professionals Contest with larger gift bags.  Here are three of the outstanding administrative professionals who make our job infinity more enjoyable:

Candida from Carlile Patchen and Murphy Attorneys and Law

Meaghan and Rebecca from Quest Software

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Meet T.: Fantastic Freshbox Employee

T.’s first impression of Freshbox was that it might be boring.  Our first impression of her was that she was kind of quiet.  It’s safe to say that we were all a little bit off in our initial assessments.  T.’s infectious smile and random outbursts of song and dance are anything but reserved, and we hope that between the huge orders we’ve been getting and the larger-than-life personalities of our Freshbox team, she doesn’t have much opportunity to feel bored.  It’s hard to convey in a profile how much we care about T.  She just got promoted to Prep 2 following the successful completion of a menu and knife assessment and a general kitchen test.  She’s a huge asset to our Freshbox team; we hope you enjoy getting to know her through this interview.

How did you hear about Freshbox?
Actually, a friend told me that that’s where she worked – she said they make sandwiches.  I needed a job and the name was catchy.  It made me wonder what they do.  Keyetta (a current Freshbox employee) told me to fill out an application.  I stopped by the next morning to apply and they asked me some questions and then told me to come back for a longer interview.

What were your first impressions of the job?
When I first came I thought it might be boring because it was only five people.  It was really early in the morning and nobody had quite woken up yet.  But when I came in Ms. Kelly greeted me with a smile.  That was nice.  She introduced me to a couple of people and they started me out rolling pickles.  At first I thought it was easy, but then Ms. Kelly finished seven before I did two.  But from that day on they’ve said that I roll them really fast and call me the queen of pickles…They say that, but I think they just want me to roll the pickles!

What’s something that sets Freshbox apart from other jobs you’ve had in the past?
There’s not that much hard labor and I like the idea behind Freshbox and what it’s for.  I haven’t worked for a company like that.  And I like the fact that they hire you through the shelter…you’ve got to be in the shelter.  If I wasn’t in the shelter I wouldn’t have this job.

What Pandora station do you pick when it’s your turn in the kitchen?
It depends.  Sometimes Kirk Franklin.  I like Lyfe Jennings too because he’s motivational.  Kirk Franklin sings about Jesus and Lyfe Jennings sings about real-life situations with relationships.

What are some adjectives you would use to describe yourself?
Caring.  I like to make people smile, that’s the big thing.  Positive.  Motivated.  Ambitious.

What are some challenges you’ve faced?
I’ve faced a lot of challenges but I don’t dwell on them.  I’ve been homeless, this isn’t the first time.  I’m 22 now but when I left Memphis I had just turned 20.  I have six brothers and sisters.  I’m the third oldest.  You could probably say I was a pushover because I just wanted to make my family happy.  My brothers and sisters hurt my feelings but I never said anything.  They expect me to be there, and wanted me to be there, but I can’t put up with that.

My nephew is like my son.  I’d been there since he was born.  I used to sing him “We Belong Together” when he was still in my sister’s stomach.  The biggest challenge was leaving Memphis – it really just killed me that I had to leave him.  I missed his first season of basketball.  He’s going to be six but he’s so good that he plays on the team with older kids.  He made 20 points one game, and I missed that.

What do you look forward to?
I’m going to be a police officer; I’ve made my mind up on that.  So I’ve got to get everything situated for that.  I want to really change the community.  If I’m a police officer, I’ve got authority.  I could change the image of some cops, because some cops are crooked. I want to show people that some people that have authority do care.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Really making a big difference in my community.  Trying to help save souls for God.  Able to help not just my community, but reach out all over.  Just try to save the world.

If you could invent a totally new Freshbox sandwich, what would it be?
Something with ranch.  I love ranch on anything.  It would probably be a pizza-type sandwich with ranch sauce…ciabatta, tomato sauce, a variety of cheese, a little American cheese, and I don’t eat pepperoni so it would have extra sausage.

Fun facts:
I like to bust out dance moves.  I love to sing.  And even though I can’t sing well, I’m going to be in the heavenly choir.  I love playing basketball and I’m very, very good at it. I love playing soccer and football.   We have a family water fight that’s been our game since I’ve been little.  I love that.  Its starts when one person gets a big bucket of water and throws it on you.  My mom thinks she’s slick because she’s got big old water guns and she’ll bust them out and start squirting us.  That’s one thing that keeps our family together.  I love writing, and directing movies, and acting.  I’ve been in plays in school, like Shaking a Mess out of Misery – I was the main character.  We did a variety show at my school – I was Tina Turner and sang her songs. 

Anything else you’d like to share?
I love potato salad. That is the best food in the world.  I won’t eat anyone’s but my grandma’s or my mom’s.  My grandma makes it better, but my mom’s dressing is better.

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Seeking Summer and Fall Interns!

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Follow up: Alleviating Poverty Summit

On April 15^th, students and community leaders from Columbus, Chicago, Los Angeles, and as far away as Japan gathered at the Wexner Center for the Arts to participate in the third annual Alleviating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship (APTE) Summit.  The speakers came from a variety of backgrounds, with degrees ranging from philosophy to business to Native American studies, but they all had one thing in common; they were empowering people around the globe to lift themselves out of poverty.

The day was full of advice for those of us interested in social entrepreneurship.  Josh Nesbit, CEO of Medic Mobile, quoted a famous Inc. Magazine article on entrepreneurship, saying, “Great entrepreneurs thrive on contingency and innovate their way to an outcome that in retrospect feels preordained.”  Erin Krampetz, Senior Change Manager for Ashoka U, reminded us that we should do what we love if we want to succeed, and that we should always keep ourselves open to new people and new opportunities.  Tanisha Robinson, founder and CEO of Fudha.com, gave us some perspective on our lives, pointing out that, “Having a pair of shoes makes you among the wealthiest of people who ever lived.”

At noon, Youmeakia, Mike, Kelly, Joe, and T. showed up with 600 Freshbox lunches for the summit’s attendees.  Joe took the stage to remind the crowd that at the last APTE, he’d spoken as the fledgling Director of Social Enterprise for Lutheran Social Services.  He talked then about his hopes for his newest enterprise, Freshbox, that could provide opportunities for people at Faith Mission Homeless shelter.  Now, 14 months later, Freshbox is a busy catering company that’s close to breaking even; concrete evidence that hard work, motivation, and community support can and do pay off.

The summit was inspirational for all who attended.  In case you missed the speakers this year, we encourage you to watch the entire event online here.  If you left the summit feeling as motivated as we did, you can partner with our local social entrepreneurs by checking out Fudha.com, learning more about our community microlender The Economic Community Development Institute, or continuing to order from Freshbox.

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