KANSAS CITY. MO — Chef Steve Davis, who runs the community kitchen at reStart, believes in the healing power of food.

After sharpening his culinary skills in a cut-throat industry for 32 years, he felt a tug at his heartstrings to pivot and dedicate his skills to nonprofit work.

The career change came amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Davis stopped working as a chef at Hy-Vee and started his career at reStart, a Kansas City-based nonprofit working to help individuals and families prevent, navigate or end homelessness.

“Just something about me told me just try that out,” Davis said. “It’s something different. You can use your skills, you can make a difference in people’s life.”

The shelter used to primarily serve pre-made sandwiches and chips. It was Davis’ mission to use fresh ingredients and make restaurant-quality meals for his clients.

His kitchen staff serves about 200-250 clients a day.

“People that are coming in here, they are trying to heal themselves and get better and concentrate on getting back into their right life. Well, you can’t do that if you’re hungry,” Davis said. “When you know that you’re going to have three good meals a day, it helps you come back. It helps you go through our programs that will get you off the street, into here and into housing in 45 days or less.”

Davis says he would not be able to operate his kitchen without support from Harvesters, a local food bank where he goes to pick up fresh produce three times a week.

He takes anywhere from 1,000-1,5000 pounds of food every week from the agency.

“What Steve does here is amazing. He’s able to take produce and meats and dairy that he gets from Harvesters and prepares restaurant quality meals for the houseless individuals in our community,” said Harvesters spokesperson Kera Mashek.

Community donations through campaigns like KSHB 41’s Fill The Fridge save the homeless shelter hundreds of thousands of dollars from its own budget.

“When you see the meals being prepared fresh, delivered hot to somebody’s hands and the smile on their face, it makes your day," Mashek said. "It makes you realize why we do what we do."

Davis feels blessed to work at a job that gives back to him as much as he puts in, pointing out there is power in people helping people.

“Can’t be in this situation and then come to lunch and get some nasty food, that’d be bad. It’s just good that it’s good food,” said reStart client Breanna Robinson.

Robinson was recently evicted from her housing with two young sons. Her landlord gave her 30 days to vacate her unit without the option to renew her lease.

While she does receive disability income, with inflation and three mouths to feed, it has been difficult to make ends meet.

“Sad, depressed, mad because I knew we didn’t have anywhere to go,” Robinson said. “I keep going — for them.”

For more information on reStart and the services it provides, click here.