How we Began
I started Tikkun BBQ from my balcony during the pandemic to support my neighbors and community.
Tikkun BBQ has now become a community and mission driven pop-up and has accomplished some amazing things since then. Paying for cab rides of the sick or elderly so they could vote, generating thousands in donations for food pantries, mutual aid groups, and nonprofits, supporting local businesses and their essential workers, and bringing together the community during a dark time. Tikkun BBQ has even been mentioned in the press on CBS 2, Patch, recieved a proclamation from state Senator Michael Gianaris and more .
HOW WE PLAN TO GROW
I did this with minimal resources while simultaneously donating 50% - 100% of all proceeds from Tikkun BBQ events. Some think Tikkun BBQ is a restaurant and don't realize I do this outside of my full-time job. For almost two years now, I ran Tikkun BBQ using equipment you'd find at Home Depot and borrowing people's cars or riding to Costco on my bicycle to pick up supplies to serve hundreds of my neighbors.
Now, as I try to expand in 2022 by purchasing a large smoker from Bison Smokers in Texas and a pick-up truck or van to tow it, I hope to count on your support.
For this year (2022), my goal is to raise $8,000 or more in donations to...
Pay the $4,000 balance on the smoker
Begin paying off a vehicle used to tow it
I don't imagine I will raise all the money for the tow vehicle in one year, so I have decided to break up my fundraising efforts into yearly goals and start a new GoFundMe each year, ideally paying off the tow vehicle within 2 - 3 years or less.
By having a large smoker and tow vehicle, Tikkun BBQ will be able to help even more people...
Increased cooking capacity with a large smoker = more money raised for a food pantry, mutual aid group, or nonprofit
Increased independence and mobility with a tow vehicle = more events, and more opportunities for us to enrich and support our community such as the time we cooked free food for those waiting in a 6 hour long line to get a COVID-19 test
Equipment and tow vehicle can be used to support neighbors and community whether through a nonprofit, Open Streets program support, helping a food pantry receive / deliver supplies, etc.
The sooner the tow vehicle is paid for, the sooner Tikkun BBQ can go back to donating significant funds to food pantries, mutual aid groups, nonprofits, and continue our mission of enriching and supporting Astoria.
This year's GoFundMe fundraiser will have...
A push in late winter / spring
A push towards the end of the year during the holidays
Periodic pushes for donations with a chance to win a prize when we do an event, such as a "golden ticket" to skip the line at our pop-ups, a free sandwich or rack of ribs, drink tickets from a venue hosting us, etc.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or feedback, please contact me.
Thank you as always for the support, it means the world to me.