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PAGE 2 | LOCAL NEWS MAY 2 - 15, 2025
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Foodworks Alliance continues to change lives

after a decade of serving the community

by Lynette Dotson

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Monday, May 12
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PICKUP LOCATIONS
DRESDEN: Bonnie Longaberger Senior Center,
Scotties Den, Dari Twist, Circle K, Thirsty Dawg,
The Warehouse Restaurant, Dresden Branch
Library, Creno’s Pizza, Beauty By Design, Dresden
Buzz, Main Street Pizzeria, The Mill, Agin
Hardware, Certified, Subway, Shrivers Pharmacy,
Humble Heart, Smore Baskets

FRAZEYSBURG: New Beginnings Drive Thru,
Dairy Queen, Frazeysburg Village Office,
Subway, Duchess Gas Station, Fallsburg Pizza
NASHPORT: Crenos Pizza

ZANESVILLE: Kroger, The Muskingum County
YMCA, John McIntire Library, Muskingum County Foodworks Alliance Executive Director Amy Aurore and Executive Assistant Victoria Reed-Bebout in the Foodworks Alliance warehouse. Lynette Dotson
Center for Seniors, Mass Media Comics, During that time, Humphreys worked In 2015, Foodworks Alliance was cre- added the Recovery With a Purpose
Denny’s Classic Diner, Fieldhouse Family Sports
and Wellness Center, Donald’s Donuts, as a business coach for the Musking- ated to help small and inspiring food program, making it not only a place
The Zanesville-Muskingum County Conference um County Business Incubator (MCBI). businesses, and that remains one of for dreamers and innovators but also a
& Welcome Center, The Elk’s Eye Art Market, Through her work, Carol met several as- their main focuses to this day. “So what place for second chances.
Walgreens (Military Rd.), The Carr Center, piring businesses that needed a licensed that looks like is if you want to make Recovery With a Purpose was created
Sunrise Bowling Center, Colony Square Mall, kitchen to work in to take their business pickles and you need somewhere to do in 2019 and has helped more than 28
Chatty Cat Cafe to the next step. The building that MCBI it, you are going to give me a call and people so far. The program was designed
SOUTH ZANESVILLE: South Branch Library, was in just happened to have a kitchen, I’m going to take you through an intake in a partnership with Naomi House and
Darrell’s Donuts, Central Pike Coffee Co. so from there, steps were taken with the process to see where you are at,” ex- Muskingum Behavioral Health to create
help of Bill Huston and Dana Matz, to plained Aurore. “Once we get through a workforce development opportunity at
AVONDALE: Tina’s Diner get the idea for Foodworks Alliance de- that intake, I immediately send every Foodworks Alliance, where women who
veloped into a food hub and commercial single person an invitation to meet with are recovering from addiction can learn
WEST PIKE: Litten Home Hardware, kitchen incubator. the Small Business Development Center essential baking and cooking skills and
West Side Market
Foodworks Alliance still remains in (SBDC) because I think that every busi- eventually gain steady employment in
NEW CONCORD: Scott’s Diner, Wally’s Pizza, its original location, which is shared ness should start with some business the food service industry.
New Concord Branch Library, Creno’s Pizza, with Muskingum Valley Health Centers planning…. Once they are ready, we “This place is an opportunity, a new en-
Orme Hardware (MVHC). “It is exactly what we need it to walk them through getting connected vironment, a new chapter,” said Aurore.
be at this time. Our limitations are that with the Health Department or ODA, “It really gives these women an opportu-
DUNCAN FALLS: Duncan Falls/Philo Branch we are a little prevented from growing whoever it is who needs to oversee what nity to radically transform their lives in a
Library
too much bigger than we are serving they are doing, and they usually have single chapter. Like we all know, we have
ROSEVILLE: Roseville Branch Library right now, so there is a scale issue,” Au- to set up some sort of inspection. Once been in these places where we haven’t
rore explained. “Storage is a big thing they are ready to come do that, I will made great decisions, and it does not
that we offer our clients, dry, cold, and help them walk them through their first have to be that bad. But, if you remove
frozen. Those things have very defined production, even before I sign them up yourself from the environment that you
limits, and we’re at them.” Although as a member, because I really want to were in when you made those decisions
storage limitations exist, that does not make sure people have all their ducks and transplant yourself into an entirely
mean anyone has had to be turned lined up before I take their check and different environment, you are so much
away. There just has to be some cre- accept them as a member. … Once they more likely to be successful in making
ative stacking involved to keep things get inspected, they are good to go. We that change, and that is what I think we
organized. “I love this partnership be- take their membership fee, which is a offer people.”
tween MVHC and us. They take care of very nominal $200 a year that gets re- It all starts with a referral and a let-
everything ... they are the kindest, most newed on their anniversary. With that ter from the applicant’s mental health
generous landlords that a non-profit can membership fee, you are invited to book or behavioral health provider. After
have, added Aurore.” the entire kitchen on an hourly basis. … getting through the preliminary pro-
There has been an increase in interest In addition to renting the kitchen, they cess and interview, trainees enter into
in people wanting to start their own food- also rent storage space. two weeks of virtual training, which in-
centric businesses in the past few years. Current Foodworks Alliance members cludes ServSafe® level 1 coursework
“Post Covid I feel like a lot of people include: Buckeye Shroomery, Fit Meal (ServSafe® level 1 and level 2 courses
realized they have a dream to pursue,” Prep, J.Mitchell’s Spices & Sauces, Lapp are both offered to anyone in the com-
said Aurore. “They have something that It Up Kombucha Tea, Ohi:yo Pepper munity wishing to get certified). After
they want to create. They want to bring Co., Oliver Farms, Mystic Freeze Dried, taking the class, it is time to get real-life,
their grandmother’s recipe out into the Pickl’d Perfect, and Sweet Street. hands-on kitchen experience. Trainees
world.” In recent years, Foodworks Alliance get about 10 to 14 weeks of kitchen
experience led by Roselyn Boston, the
Kitchen Manager, and a graduate of the
Recovery With a Purpose program. At
about 6 weeks into the program, train-
ees meet with Debbie Greiner of Ohio
Means Jobs to talk about their resume,
any challenges, job history, and more to
better prepare them for applying for per-
manent work.
In addition to Recovery With a Purpose
alum Rosalyn joining the Foodworks Alli-
ance team, a 2021 graduate of the pro-
gram, Victoria Reed-Bebout was hired to
fill the Executive Assistant role and has
been a huge asset to the organization
after completely turning her life around.
“That means that the women who
come into this program not only have
Foodworks Alliance Executive Director Amy Aurore (left) helps Trainee Tammy Howdyshell (middle) and good role models but two women that
Kitchen Manager Roselyn Boston (right) work on packaging mini bundt cakes. Lynette Dotson
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