A new effort encouraging support for local, Black-owned businesses — many in Kansas City’s historically redlined neighborhoods — is a timely reminder of the purchasing power in each diner’s hands, said Brandon Calloway.
Kansas City G.I.F.T. launched the first edition of its “Savor The Flavor” Black-Owned Dining Passport, which features 13 restaurants. Diners can use the passports to read recommendations, access QR codes to their menus, and engage with an interactive feature that allows diners to rate each restaurant on a scale of 1 to 5 plates.
“As the current administration is trying to actively tear down support for Black and Brown communities, KC G.I.F.T. remains dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses through aggressive funding and support,” said Brandon Calloway, CEO and co-founder of Kansas City G.I.F.T., a nonprofit founded in 2020 to help close the racial wealth gap and reduce poverty-related crime by empowering small, Black-owned businesses in Kansas City, specifically east of Troost.
This initiative encourages the community to grab their friends and explore local dining options while supporting Black-owned businesses, he said.
“As a community, it is up to us to actively create the world we want to see,” Calloway continued. “This passport offers a fun and engaging way for people to take action on that and make a difference by supporting local Black entrepreneurs.”
“Savor The Flavor” passports can be picked up at the G.I.F.T. Business Center at 5008 Prospect Ave. in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as select restaurants.
Businesses featured in the passport include:
- Ruby Jeans Juicery, 3000 Troost Ave
- Vee’s Sweets and Treats, 8005 The Paseo
- Black WallStreet, 5908 Prospect Ave
- Niecie’s, 6441 Troost Ave
- PeachTree Cafeteria, 6800 Eastwood Trafficway
- Union on the Hill, 2976 Gillham Rd
- District Biskuits, 504 Armour Rd
- The Combine, 2999 Troost Ave
- The Prospect KC, 11 E 40th St
- District Fish and Pasta House, 1664 E 63rd St
- Urban Restaurant, 3420 Troost Ave
- Karen’s Kakes, 6144 Raytown Trafficway
- Gigi’s Vegan Wellness Cafe, 1103 Westport Rd
Some of the participating restaurants are past grant recipients Kansas City G.I.F.T., which awards funding from $10,000 to $50,000 to Black-owned ventures. In the past four years, the nonprofit has given out nearly $1.7 million to more than 70 local businesses, according to the organization’s most recent annual report.
“By fostering economic growth, we are not only reversing the effects of systemic racism but also transforming communities, one business at a time, for a more equitable future,” Calloway said.
I picked up the Passport at Union on the Hill and can’t wait to check out the featured businesses. It was the second time I had been at Union on the Hill in the same week! Soo…good!