One thing we learned from the Seeking Equity in Wilmington series, underwritten by the Wilmington Alliance, is that establishing a food service business can be incredibly difficult for entrepreneurs without a lot of capital and bank support.

Irene Castañeda, founder of Veronica’s Kitchen, started her Mexican food business out of her car, graduated to farmers’ markets and festivals, and had a popup location in downtown Wilmington before COVID-19 stopped her business in its tracks. With no prospect of receiving emergency aid or a business loan, and filling catering orders from a home kitchen that is not equipped for commercial cooking, she is just the kind of business owner to fit with a developing Kitchen Incubator project by Wilmington Alliance, Grace United Methodist Church at 900 N. Washington St., and The Rock Lot CSA.

Like many churches, Grace has a large kitchen for congregation events and, at one