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Backyard BBQ Youth Program

"Bringing youth together through backyard cooking, mentorship, and entrepreneurship by teaching culinary skills, creating seasoning brands, gaining certifications, and building job readiness for a better future."
5×5 Night on the Road! At Muskegon Innovation Hub
Voting Closes:

March 17, 2025 11:59 pm

About this idea
"My idea is to create a youth-focused culinary workshop that goes beyond cooking. It is about giving young people the chance to learn hands-on culinary skills while fostering entrepreneurship and community connection. Participants will develop their own seasoning blends, learn the business of branding and marketing, and gain food safety certifications. The workshops will focus on recreating the magic of backyard gatherings where food brings people together. Youth will not only build cooking skills but also experience the joy of collaboration and mentorship. Through this program, they will be equipped with job readiness tools and real-world experience that prepares them for future careers or even launching their own businesses. It is a space to build confidence, foster creativity, and help reduce negative influences in the community by giving them something meaningful and productive."
Impact
"The impact of this project is transformational for both the youth and the community. It equips young people with essential life skills, culinary expertise, and entrepreneurship knowledge, helping them gain confidence and discover new possibilities for their future. By earning food safety certifications and developing their own seasoning brands, they not only build job readiness but also lay the foundation for potential business ventures. On a deeper level, this project revives the spirit of community by bringing people together just like backyard gatherings around food have always done. It provides a positive and creative outlet for youth, helping to reduce negative influences while fostering collaboration, mentorship, and personal growth. Long-term, this initiative will produce a generation of leaders who are not only skilled in the kitchen but also empowered to make a lasting impact on their communities."
What I'll do with $5,000
"With $5,000, we will launch a targeted youth culinary workshop that teaches hands-on cooking skills, business development, and job readiness. The funds will be used to purchase food and spices for seasoning blend development, chef clothing, and small kitchen equipment. Participants will also receive food safety certification training, giving them a professional credential to help them pursue culinary careers. A portion of the funding will go toward packaging and branding materials so participants can create and market their own seasoning blends. The remaining funds will be used to support a final showcase event where youth will present their products to family and the community, celebrating their growth and achievements."
Quick Bio
Quintin Kinnon is a passionate culinary mentor dedicated to empowering youth through hands-on cooking, mentorship, and entrepreneurship, helping them build confidence, business skills.
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