The first Karma Kitchen Newsletter of 2009 went out this morning -- it shares some of the highlights from recents weeks as well as exciting developments just around the corner...

Dear Friends,
 

"In this life we cannot do great things, only small things with great love." - Mother Teresa

Small Things, Great Love

In the last five months, Karma Kitchen has been witness to many "small things" and much great love.This Sunday soon after the restaurant opened, a woman walks in with a handpicked bouquet of yellow flowers for the "Karma Patch' table. A little later a bright pyramid of lemons finds its way there through another guest. On the Kindness Table out front someone leaves a beautiful knit cap for a baby. A guest asks a server if there are any 7 or 8 year olds in the restaurant and when answered in the affirmative, pulls out a brand-new book, removes the receipt from inside it and asks that it be delivered to the child anonymously. On the first Sunday of the New Year one among the 130 guests served that day handed us an envelope that she couldn't fit into our box. "It's a gift someone asked me to pass on," she says. Inside is a beautiful calligraphied card along with a sum of money. A short note on the back explains that the Chinese characters on the card denote the phrase "Endless Possibilities".

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Endless Possibilities:

How perfect for Karma Kitchen. A place where those possibilities seem to manifest every moment in beautiful and simple ways. Like the Orchid Giver of KK -- a woman named Susan who comes on so many Sundays with the gift of a slender, potted orchid meant to be paid-forward. Or the young first-time volunteer who flew in all the way from Florida, whose thoughtful service and bubbling sincerity left such an impression on one guest (and real-life restaurant waiter) that he wanted to sign up to volunteer just so he could "learn to serve like that". And then there is the truly remarkable story of the much-tatttooed man who walked in one afternoon, ate a meal at a corner table by himself and came back later to share an incredible story, his story: The Food Thief at Karma Kitchen 

Karma Kitchen Chapters in DC & Chicago!
The ripples have spread in ways beyond our imagination. On Dec 7th in SF, restaurant owner, Joy Kapur, who spent four consecutive Sundays studying Karma Kitchen and consulting with our volunteers, opened Kindness Kitchen at Maharani restaurant. Farther from home, in Washington DC the spirit of Karma Kitchen has sparked a group of volunteers to launch their own chapter of this experiment in generosity. On February 15th, Karma Kitchen will open its doors in the nation's capital at the charming Polo India Club restaurant.

Karma Kitchen @ Polo India Club

12pm-3pm on Sundays

1736 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009

For more information, or to sign up to volunteer, contact KarmaKitchenDC@gmail.com

And not to be out-done, in the mid-west, a pumped up group of people are scouting Chicago in search of a restaurant aligned with the values of Karma Kitchen to partner with. If you have ideas for their team or know people in the area that would enjoy being a part of the effort, please email Anish Parikh at anishparikh@gmail.com
 

Karma Kitchen & You

As this humble experiment slowly spreads to other towns and cities, we find ourselves reflecting on what really makes Karma Kitchen -- Karma Kitchen. The answer doesn't lie with a handful of volunteers -- but really with all of you. Because there is no substitute for presence or for hearts in resonance.

To that end, we are creating a Best-Practices guide for others to use. If you'd like to share a few words for it on what makes Karma Kitchen unique in your view, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a note at karmakitchen@charityfocus.org
 

With gratitude for all the "small things" done with great love,

The Karma Kitchen Team

 

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