The Rockingham County Business & Technology Center (RCBTC) partnered with Rockingham County Cooperative Extension and Rockingham Opportunities Corporation for a $24,000 grant that funded this certified community kitchen for local farmers, caterers and training chefs. This grant was one of several 2006 Demonstration Grants distributed by Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA with the support of the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. These grants are slated to help transition tobacco farmers into other crops so that rural areas can maintain their farming heritage.
The three partnering organizations will each tackle different components of the new Rockingham Community Kitchen. Rockingham Opportunities Corporation is providing the kitchen facility and will manage its daily operations. Rockingham County Cooperative Extension will provide regular workshops on topics such as food safety and canning. The RCBTC will act as leasing agent for the facility and will provide fiscal oversight of the project and grant.
