Modeled on Success

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Root’s social enterprise structure and training program is based on successful models including DC Central Kitchen, FareStart in Seattle, and Liberty’s Kitchen in New Orleans.  Utilizing the culinary arts as a training tool for high-risk populations who have significant barriers to employment is a proven pathway to stable employment and self-sufficiency.

Root's Self-Supporting Model

Through Root's social enterprise model, we operate several lines of food service-based businesses out of our Salem facilities. These provide a training environment for the students and also generate revenue to support our mission. 

These include:

  • The Root Café: (temporarily closed) The Root Café offers fresh, delicious, made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch items, smoothies, pastries, desserts, specialty coffees and espresso beverages. Ingredients are primarily locally-sourced and organic.

  • Catering by Root: In our spectacular event space, your home or office, Catering By Root offers delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners for social events, corporate gatherings and private parties.

  • HarborPoint at Root: This new 2,200 square foot special event site features unique, multi-faceted and flexible event space, a convenient downtown location with beautiful views of Salem Harbor, and abundant parking.

  • Community Catering: Root raises philanthropic dollars to be able to provide locally-sourced, nutritious, scratch-made meals to social service agencies, food pantries, and other organizations serving families and youth on the North Shore.

“When I learned about Root’s mission to help under-serviced youth develop life skills and workforce readiness through food preparation training and on-the-job-experience, I became excited about getting involved and supporting their work. I am passionate about inspiring the younger generation to take charge of their lives so Root is a natural fit for me. The satisfaction of helping young people build skills to be able to achieve success is immeasurable. Root is inspiring and joyful and I can’t imagine a cause more worthy of support!”

— Kirke Hall, Advisory, the Weezie Foundation

"Grounded in good nutrition and built on solid community engagement, Root offers a practical culinary approach to connect local youth with an opportunity to succeed.  Root's innovative training model is a program to watch and replicate across the North Shore." 

— Julie LaFontaine, Executive Director, The Open Door