Meet Kerry Brodie | Nonprofit Leader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kerry Brodie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kerry, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Emma’s Torch has the goal of empowering refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking through workforce development. While our work most directly supports our students as they embark on new careers, we also believe that the impact of Emma’s Torch strengthens our entire community.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Emma’s Torch is a non-profit social enterprise. I prefer to think about us as a for-purpose business. Our mission is to empower refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking through culinary education. We do this at our restaurant, cafe, and catering business. We offer fully-paid culinary training and job placement services. So far we have graduated over 100 students from our program, and I am so proud of the incredible careers our graduates have built. It has certainly not always been easy, but it has always been rewarding. The most important lesson I have learnt is the value of community. Emma’s Torch is only as strong as the community it has created. Whether it is our staff, our students, or our restaurants guests, each challenge has become more surmountable thanks to the people who have dedicated their time and creativity to ensuring our success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Brooklyn New York, so there is always so much to see and do! I love to visit small businesses around us. If a friend was visiting we would start out with breakfast at Emma’s Torch, and then take a walk to Prospect Park. Along the way we would stop in and visit some of the small family-owned businesses that we love.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have been so fortunate to have the support of my family, friends, and a broad community to make Emma’s Torch a reality. While credit belongs to this large group of people, I want to dedicate my shoutout to my husband. Five years ago I told him that I had this crazy idea, and he was the first person to suggest that I should try make this idea a reality. I am so grateful for that unwavering confidence in what we are trying to achieve.

Website: emmastorch.org

Instagram: @emmastorchfood

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrybrodie/

Twitter: @emmastorch

Facebook: @EmmasTorchFood