Thanks to the generous support of our community, Custom Cuisine LLC is a recipient of the COVID-19 Business Relief Fund.
About Custom Cuisine LLC
My name is Chef Christina McCoy. I’m the owner of Custom Cuisine LLC— located in West Philadelphia. My company focuses on providing sustainable food and goods— sourced through urban farming methods. I provide freshly grown produce from the community spaces I occupy—to grow for my immediate community, free of charge. This is especially important for the elderly who can’t get to stores that provide fresh organic food. I also farm food vertically and hydroponically—to provide veggies and herbs for my farm to table meal prep service, catering and sustainable products. I engage with local pre-schools bringing them to my community garden space to teach and encourage their young brilliant minds to appreciate urban farming. This is the inner city after all— and many of our communities were already disproportionately affected by illness related directly to poor nutrition and lack of essential health resources. My responsibility is to provide organic food, information and resources that can nourish and help guide the future of our collective communities.
How the COVID-19 Business Relief Fund Will Help
Like many other small business in our city, my business— and all of its facets that help me operate, feed my 5 year old, and grow food for the community have stopped. My retail business in Historic Reading Terminal Market— which had its Grand Opening in February, has halted operations to help stop the spread of COVID-19. I've transitioned to an online store to accommodate clients needing sustainable farm to skincare products in leu of this. However, it has been far from easy and comes with its own operational costs. I stand with many others whose businesses have been drastically impacted by this virus. We have families and responsibility — especially children who are home and can’t socially connect with loved ones. Their daily lives have been uprooted. They’re the ones most affected. In addition to that, this crisis has taken away the ability for many business owners, parents and providers to care for our families as we normally have. After all, we started our businesses to provide a different life for our families.
How you Can Continue to Support Custom Cuisine LLC
Solidarity is something we hear, but don’t fully understand until we’re faced with a challenge and make a decision to stand together. The quick actions, support and pure love that Fairmount CDC and the Greater Art Museum Business Alliance has shown my family during this difficult time is beyond anything I can say here. Truly, many small businesses have been denied the grants and loans we were promised and qualified for—to help weather the storm. These small businesses— the ones Fairmount CDC and Greater Art Museum Business Alliance have quickly mobilized to offer support are essential to our city. When we shut down, the city is shut down, and the way the Fairmount community has come together in support of us speaks of the true support and IS the definition of solidarity. Thank you for seeing us. For hearing me. Love, light and BLESSINGS. We WILL get through this!
To help more small businesses during this time, please consider contributing to the COVID-19 Business Relief Fund.