Social Issue Track: Social Enterprise: Nonprofit Business Ventures
Sponsored by:The Fund for Philanthropy & Education
Circle Catering
a project of Roca, Inc.
Tacos Unidos, a project of Roca, is a nonprofit business venture that sells healthy tacos and burritos to create training and employment opportunities for high risk young people ages 16-24 from Chelsea, Revere and East Boston.
Social Problem:
- Since 2000, there has been a 12% increase nationally in the number of youth that are both out-of-school and out-of-work.
- More than 70,000 young people in Massachusetts between the ages of 16 and 24 are both out-of-school and out-of-work, with 8,000 in Boston alone.
- Chelsea, MA has double the annual high school dropout rate, 3 times the teen pregnancy rate, and 2.5 times the youth poverty rate as compared to Massachusetts statewide averages.
- 11% of Chelsea public school students report gang involvement.
- Each of these disengaged youth represents a potential cost of $250,000 to $2 million over his or her lifetime.
Key Accomplishments & Social Impact:
- Launched an ethnic food service social venture, is a vendor to MGH, and has catered events for up to 500 people in Chelsea and Boston.
- Received press coverage in The Boston Globe and on NPR.
- After only one season of operations, 3 out of 4 youth staff have successfully transitioned into full-time or stable employment
Goals - Two Years:
- Reach $100,000 in sales covering 60% of total business expenses
- Employ 22 youth through paid work experience
- Train 108 youth in critical hard and soft work skills
Total Philanthropic Investment - Two Years:
$217,000 |
Ways to Invest
In-Kind Support
- Building the Tacos Unidos website.
- Developing strategy for branding & marketing.
- Developing a strategy for business development.
- Recruiting 1 board member with expertise in marketing, particularly in the food service industry.
- Developing an operations and employee handbook.
- Inviting Tacos Unidos to be a vendor in your building.
Financial Support
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Kitchen Expansion |
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FT Business Assistant Manager |
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PT Youth Assistant |
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Push-Cart |
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Serving Equipment for 2 In-Building Vendor Sites |
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Have Tacos Unidos cater your next meeting or large event |
Contact Information
Sotun Krouch
(617) 889-5210 x200
tun@rocainc.com
Location
Chelsea, MA
Founded
May 2005
Current Budget
$135,000
Geography and People Served:
High-risk youth and young adults, ages 16-24, in Chelsea, Revere and East Boston
Website:
http://www.rocainc.org/
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