Afghan Refugees
Six-Month Endeavor: Preparing Meals and Delivering Groceries to 500 Afghan Refugees in Philadelphia
In the fall of 2021, more than 500 Afghan refugees arrived in Philadelphia with minimal advance notice. Entrusted with the task, we successfully developed and managed a halal meal prep and grocery procurement system catering to the needs of 300-350 refugees housed in temporary accommodations. This comprehensive system provided daily lunch and dinner, along with twice-weekly grocery deliveries, spanning a period of 5 months.
Recognizing the importance of cultural sensitivity, we hired 5 Afghan refugees with cooking experience from their native country to ensure halal compliance and assist with general operations. To meet the unique dietary requirements, we transformed the kitchen at our Rittenhouse location into a halal-compatible food preparation space. Additionally, part of our 8,000 sq ft warehouse in Callowhill was dedicated to grocery sourcing and order dispatching.
Throughout this initiative, spanning over 5 months, we successfully prepared and fulfilled over 40,000 meals and delivered 1,200 grocery orders, providing essential support to the Afghan refugee community during their transition to a new life in Philadelphia.