CIVIC THURSDAY CLUB MEETING - Speaker Maria Alderete -Co-Founder and Executive Director of Community Kitchens Oakland - Feeding All Of Oakland | 12-08-2022

Maria Alderete was born and raised in the Bay Area living in Oakland for over 30 years.  She worked minimum wage restaurant jobs while putting herself through college at UC Berkeley.  After 15 years of corporate office work, in 2004 she and her husband Rick Mitchell opened Oakland’s beloved Luka’s Taproom and Lounge.  Luka’s always focused on being a gathering place for all of Oakland to come eat, drink and celebrate.  Community engagement was always a critical part of Luka’s identity, including helping launch Oakland Art Murmur, supporting new Uptown businesses, hosting local school fundraisers, and participating in small business task forces.  With Luka’s closing in January 2022, we learned that we don’t need walls to bring our community together.  Our nonprofit, Community Kitchens, brings together our whole community to be a part of a food justice movement in Oakland.  Our free and accessible meal program is unique, as we provide high quality meals directly to our unhoused community.  Whether you are a restaurant, diner, community organization, home cook or just hungry, everyone has a place at the table at Community Kitchens.