Enterprise

In the wake of dwindling federal and state funding and increased competition for foundation grants, a growing number of nonprofits are launching earned-income ventures. Known as social enterprises, these entrepreneurial endeavors provide a new revenue stream to support the social mission of their nonprofit parents.

Amos House launched its first social enterprise, Amos House Works, in 2004. The business, now called More Than a Meal, has expanded from serving healthy lunches in school cafeterias to catering fine cuisine for corporate meetings. Revenues help to cover staff costs and grow the business which is providing training opportunities and jobs for persons who were formerly unemployed and homeless.

More Than a Meal provides high-quality and delicious food for business meetings, events, private functions, school lunch programs, and summer camps. It also runs a food kiosk at Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence.

Later this year More Than a Meal will open a restaurant, the Friendship Café, on the corner of Broad and Friendship Streets in conjunction with SWAP, a community development corporation. Based on the success we have had in job creation and income generation, Amos House plans to launch other enterprises, including a painting business that will provide jobs for graduates of our carpentry training program.

Would you like to learn more about More Than a Meal catering? Please call 401-440-3300 or click here.