Several of the businesses that are part of The Common Kitchen, Howard County’s first food hall, have taken their commitment to serving the community to new heights during the nation’s coronavirus pandemic.

Koshary-by-Misteka’s#DontEatAlone campaign has donated funds to several groups over the last few weeks including the Maryland Food Bank and Baltimore’s Mera Kitchen Collective. The Collective is staffed by refugees and to date they have cooked/packaged/provided over 6000 free community meals thanks to the generosity of donors like Misteka.

Koshary-by-Misteka’s loyal client base has also found a way to contribute their help by donating koshary bowls and meals to healthcare workers at Montgomery General Hospital. Over 50 meals including koshary bowls, salads, and falafel, have been donated by customers for medical and essential staff. The outpouring of support has led owner Iman Moussa to create the #ThankYouMeal campaign. Within just two days of its creation, over 60 meals have been ordered and donated to healthcare workers and staff. Customers who wish to donate meals can do so by ordering the meals online at KosharybyMisteka.com and listing as donation for #ThankYouMeal in the comments.

Tasty Empanadas, a new addition to The Common Kitchen that opened in December 2019, was still adjusting to the demands of being a sole proprietor when Maryland was required to shelter to in place. Owner Lourdes Karina Pinto had closed her business to assess steps forward when she began to be contacted by groups needing large orders. With help from her family members, Lourdes was able to make over 1100 empanadas for workers at Johns Hopkins Howard County General Hospital. Her daughter, who can often be found behind the counter at The Common Kitchen, baked dozens of cookies to hand out to the healthcare workers in appreciation for their hard work and sacrifice.

Holly Stone, the managing partner of GreenStone Ventures II and The Common Kitchen, was not at all surprised to hear that such acts of kindness were being led by businesses from the food hall and marketplace. “The two-part goal of The Common Kitchen is to nourish the community while growing small businesses by bringing together local entrepreneurs and hungry people. That is a commitment that all of us at The Common Kitchen take to heart and if anything, this situation has shown us that there are times when you need to return the love and support you have been given. We are all in this together.”

The Common Kitchen consists of eleven independent counters and space for shelf-stable merchandise. The food hall includes a commercial kitchen shared by the tenant businesses. The smaller retail footprint and shared kitchen spaces allow entrepreneurs to put more of their resources into production instead of overhead, which is vital to an emerging business.

Currently, The Common Kitchen is closed to the public but Trifecto Bar and Anh-mazing Bahn Mi are open daily for curbside pickup and delivery. In addition, Koshary-by-Misteka, Tasty Empanadas, and Scoop & Paddle Ice Cream are taking online orders for pick up on Fridays and Saturdays. For details visit https://thecommonkitchen.com/ or contact General Manger Elias Castillo, 410.300.6251 elias@thecommonkitchen.com