Sharing Goodwill: The Power of Food

Whether Roasted Pork Loin, Sautéed Seasonal Vegetables, or a Southwestern Salad, one thing is clear after listening to Bill Bracken: there is power in cooking food for others.   

Join Goodwill of Orange County’s CEO, Nicole Suydam, on this week’s Sharing Goodwill podcast: a platform for uplifting stories of hope and good. This week, we are excited to hear from Bill about his culinary nonprofit, Bracken’s Kitchen.   

Bracken’s Kitchen is dedicated to feeding healthy meals its neighbors, training people with valuable culinary skills, and fighting for food recovery. Covid-19 brought a difficult challenge, but Bracken’s Kitchen vastly overcame this obstacle by serving close to 1.8 million meals in 2020.   

Yet, this journey to such an incredible impact all started with Betsy: Bill’s first mobile food truck, beaming with a beautiful shade of red.

[/Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG]

Bill always gravitated towards cooking for others. He graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America and worked as a nationally renowned chef for over 35 years. After regularly volunteering as a guest chef for Orange County Rescue Mission, he realized the abundance of food insecurity in Orange County—and he was determined to help.   

As he discovered his calling to help fight hunger, Bill began Bracken’s Kitchen and received Betsy as a gift. This mobile food truck soon became a source of food and comfort to people all across the county.   

Now, Bracken’s Kitchen has a large-scale impact with two food trucks and a kitchen. Not only does the organization provide food for those in need, but it also empowers rising chefs through culinary education. These culinary programs restore food that would normally be wasted, instead using it to feed others in need and encourage the development of every cook.    

This is a captivating story of empowerment, service, and purpose. Tune in to hear Bill’s passion for food and philanthropy at Episode 11: Bill Bracken of Bracken’s Kitchen | Spreaker.   

How can you help Bracken’s Kitchen feed even more people in 2021? Head over to Bracken’s Kitchen | Feeding Program | California to hear about ways to help further their mission!