Our History

For well over a decade, we have achieved both sustainability and tremendous growth, thanks to partnerships with individuals, businesses, civic organizations, schools, churches, and our cities.

Established on September 24, 2010, the Village Project (VP) was modeled after the Ceres Community Project in Sebastopol, CA.

After receiving a copy of the Ceres Project Cookbook, Nourishing Connections, Barb Harrell (founder and former VP Executive Director) learned Ceres’ innovative concept of gathering the community to minister to neighbors in health crises by providing nourishing meals.

The idea of using local teenage cooks to prepare nutritious meals for people in their community who are experiencing health challenges intrigued and inspired her. She traveled to California to find out more. This little, spiral-bound cookbook set Barb’s life on a new path. Thus, the Village Project was born.

The organization has grown over the years, from its humble beginnings to its current operations. To date, Village Project has offered extended services and more than 50,000 nourishing meals to over 500 families in Avon, Avon Lake, Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake.

September 24, 2010

Founded

Village Food Project was founded

September 24, 2010

2011

First Meals

First meals were prepared in the basement of Bay Presbyterian Church in Bay Village, Ohio and delivered to four local families

2011

2012

Client Base Doubles

Client base doubled after one year, is supported by over 100 volunteers and Avon Lake is added to our service area

2012

2013

Renovation and Moving

Volunteers renovated and moved into 3,500 sq. ft. facility providing meeting space, activity area, office space, storage and commercial kitchen and Rocky River is also added to our service area

2013

2015

Westlake Added

Westlake is added to our service area

2015

2017

Avon Added

Avon is added to our service area

2017

2018

Expanded Facility

We expanded our facility to support the needs of our continually growing client base (600% increase since inception)

The additional space also provides the ability to support the needs of our continually growing client base, additional storage, corporate team-building opportunities, and Project Shoppe; all of which extends our overall positive impact on the community while developing an income source to help support our operations

2018

2021

New Leadership

Barb Harrell, Founder and Executive Director of Village Project announces her retirement, and Meredith LaVecchia is hired as the new Executive Director.

2021

2023

Nourishing Neighbors

Nourishing Neighbors is established as a new donation program that allows supporters to provide monthly gift donations towards our nourishing meals for our clients.

2023

2023–2024

A New Look

Village Project gets a marketing refresh! The new modernized logo adds the fork that symbolizes the meals we provide and the flower represents a nod of gratitude to our volunteers who help with the flower arrangements, gardening, cooking, and delivery angels to the clients. As part of the refresh, Project Shoppe changed to Village Project Market. Additionally, the tagline — Feeding families fighting cancer — was created to fine-tune our mission of working together as a community to provide nourishing meals and extended support to families fighting cancer. 

2023–2024
10000 +

Nourishing Meals

0 +

Families

0 %

Weekly Increase

Upcoming Events

No event found!