Meals for Change is one of the cool Oakland-based programs that don't get mentioned enough. Basically, Meals for Change is a set of already-prepared, just heat and eat vegetarian meals that are going to be distributed to Bay area grocery stores for folks who want to purchase high quality prepared foods.

However, Meals for Change isn't just one of your PC foodie start-ups. It's the brainchild of Kent Ellsworth  from Bay Area Community Services (BACS), the organization that  runs Alameda County's Meals on Wheels programs, among other nutrition and health programs for adults, and it's a way to both provide more work for the cooks they train and a way to raise money to support their programs.

Basically, folks there figured out that their commercial kitchen was only being used to train students to cook 5 hours a day; as they considered what else to do with the space, this idea was born.

On Wednesday night, October 14th at the Ferry Building, members of the Commonwealth Club's Bay Gourmet Series had a chance to taste the new meals, watch a brief short about the program and talk with as group of  “Bay Gourmet” experts supporting MFC’s  mission of providing farm to table nutrition and culinary job training. Panelists were The panel discussion features Brahm Ahmadhi of People's Grocery, with Larry Bearg of Planet Organics, Kent Ellsworth of Bay Area Community Services, and chef Dominique Crenn of Luce. Moderator was Jen Maiser, Life Begins@30 blogger and co-organizer of the super cool Eat Local Challenge.

For us folks in Oakland, we'll have a chance to try out MFC foods and support their projects on Saturday, October 17 when the Oakland Rotary Club sponsors BRATS & BEER, A Benefit for Oakland, at The Linden Brewery, , #8 Linden Street @ 3rdStreet, Port of Oakland from 12pm - 5pm

Admission is free to this event, and visitors can enjoy  orchard wood grilled pork & chicken bratwursts, mini pizza’a, soft shell tacos, and other organic dishes  including vegetarian options, prepared by the chefs from BACS’ Social Enterprise Kitche. There will be a video and folks on hand to talk about  “Meals for Change." All proceeds benefit BACS’ Thanksgiving holiday food basket distribution, and the Oakland Rotary Community Endowmen.

Entry is free; double-decker bus transport from West Oakland BART to the Linden Street Brewery. Bicycle valet parking.

Take Action
Wanna try them? Meals for Change are available only in San Francisco for now at  Delano's IGA, Rainbow Grocery, Real Foods, Cow Hollow, Real Foods, Russian Hill, and via Planet Organics deliveries.

Meals for Change deets are here:

1814 Franklin Street
Fourth Floor
Oakland, CA 94612

OFFICE: (510) 613-0330
KITCHEN: (510) 271-8835
CATERING: (510) 613-0330
JOB INQUIRIES: (510) 613-0326