WATSONVILLE -- A commercial kitchen project aimed at nourishing budding entrepreneurs has won international recognition.
Nonprofit El Pajaro Community Development Corp.'s culinary business incubator is one of 11 finalists -- and the only one from the United States -- in the Ashoka Changemakers' Power of the Small: Entrepreneurs Strengthening Local Economies competition.
The public will choose four winners to receive a $10,000 prize through online voting at www.changemakers.com/powerofsmall.
"I knew we had a project for competing, but still it was shock to get the notice," said Carmen Herrera-Mansir, El Pajaro's executive director. "We at the CDC are very proud."
The news comes as construction of the kitchen in a former tofu factory on Riverside Drive is set to start. The $400,000 project, expected to be complete by late February, will include construction of 10 work stations and installation of commercial equipment.
The Cooking up Success project will benefit low-income entrepreneurs who lack the resources to launch or expand a business.
Herrera-Mansir said bakers, candy makers, caterers, and farmers who want to process surplus produce for sale are among the 60 people on the waiting list to participate in the shared-use kitchen.
"They are realistic but they have big dreams," said Herrera-Mansir, mentioning one part-time baker who is earning supplemental income
and wants to expand his business. "He told me, 'One day I'm going to see my business name on a truck.' This is the kind of dream and project we want to foster."Ashoka Changemakers, the competition sponsor, is building an online open source community to profile solutions to the pressing international problems.
The potential $10,000 prize is only the start of the benefits El Pajaro anticipates gaining from being named a finalist.
"It's the exposure," Herrera-Mansir said.
The culinary business incubator was one of 370 projects submitted to the contest, and judged by experts in the economic development field. Winners will be named at an international conference Nov. 12-15 in Madrid. Ashoka is paying for the finalists to attend, and Herrera-Mansir will represent El Pajaro.
She's looking forward to making connections at the conference that could lead to more funding as well as mentoring. She's already heard from two of the judges offering guidance.
"Just the fact of the selection and the reason for our selection makes us proud," Herrera-Mansir said. "It confirms we're on the right track."
Follow Sentinel reporter Donna Jones on Twitter at Twitter.com/DonnaJonesSCS
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