Chef’s Facebook video inspires Custer woman to create Grassroots Meal Kit Delivery service during time of need

CUSTER, SD. — It was this video posted to Facebook a little over a week ago, that inspired Rebecca Mielnik, of Custer, to start a grassroots movement meal kit delivery service for families in need in the Custer area.

In the video, Nick Pellegrino, Owner/Chef of restaurant Mangia Nashville, prepared a quick, easy and affordable meal from pasta, canned tuna, and white beans.

It dawned on Rebecca, once she saw the video, that the meal would be so easy to make into a meal kit for people in need that can’t afford food or have limited ability to go out and shop during the pandemic situation.

“I would say in general, in this area, there is a concern about food.” Rebecca said in an interview with Rapid City’s KNBN Newscenter 1.  “People are definitely trying to stock up so this, like i said, helps fill that space for people who maybe don’t know how to get food, can’t afford their next meal, just something to help keep them inspired and let them know that there’s still hope.”

Mielnik’s Grassroots Meal Kit Delivery has already delivered over 240 meals, in 7 cities across 3 counties in the Black Hills.

The idea is that people in the community of Custer will anonymously identify the address of a person, couple, or family that needs help with food supplementation at this time. People in need can even submit themselves to the program. Then, the kit will arrive at the address, FREE of charge, including the recipe and all of the ingredients families need to prepare the meal.

Here’s how the delivery service works: Send an email with the delivery address of yourself or a person in need to: grassrootsmealkit@gmail.com. Grassroots will purchase the ingredients for a meal (serving size 4) and package them along with a recipe card and online resources for preparing the meal, then deliver the meal kit to the front door of the address.

*Note: This service is for the Custer area only.

Get in touch with Grassroots Meal Kit Delivery on Facebook @grassrootsmealkit