Kent-based Project Feast receives $86,750 county grant

Published 1:35 pm Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Kent-based nonprofit Project Feast will receive an $86,750 grant from King County to help rescue surplus crops from local farmers to support culinary training for immigrants and refugees and provide free meals to food-insecure residents.

King County Executive Shannon Braddock announced Sept. 3 a combined $2.17 million in grant funding for 14 projects that will reduce waste and keep valuable resources in the economy and out of the landfill.

Nearly half of the projects will reduce food waste by collecting unused crops from local farms for culinary training and free meals, reducing waste generated from events, and converting food waste into organic fertilizer for local farmers, according to a Sept 3 King County Executive Office press release. King County’s Solid Waste Division administers the Re+ Circular Economy Grants.

“Small businesses and nonprofits throughout King County are already delivering measurable progress in reducing their waste and cutting greenhouse gas emissions,” Braddock said. “Our Re+ grants increase their capacity so they can accelerate their efforts, helping our region transition to a sustainable, circular economy.”

Project Feast, 202 W. Gowe St., empowers refugee and immigrant cooks through hands-on culinary training and education. The nonprofit offers culinary skills apprenticeship courses and culinary career workshops.

The 10-week, 160-hour, part-time employment opportunity prepares apprentices for a career in the food industry, according to the Project Feast website. Through a combination of classroom, kitchen and English language classes, graduates will leave with the knowledge and skills needed to continue working in a variety of culinary fields.

For more information, go to projectfeast.org.