OUR STORY

“Carefully stitched together using elements of food innovation, cultural history, and economic well being,

I brought Project Appalachia to the table in early 2020 out of personal experience and ambitious thought. To this day, my life has revolved around food. Born to immigrant parents – a chef and a restaurant manager – in a melting-pot community of New York City, I grew up experiencing the powers of food in building communities,

uniting cultures, and of course, making people happy. A few years ago, my curiosity drew me to the foothills of Appalachia and the long, complex history around them. The trading of healthy land, livelihood, and vibrant culture for money in coal barons' pockets and the resulting socioeconomic vacuum became a problem

that few sought to solve. After hours of brainstorming pondering sustainable solutions in Appalachia, I asked the question, "What if we could take the healing powers of food to the communities of Appalachia to mend the wrongs of the past and build sustainable growth?" With a team of bright-minded Enactus members,

Project Appalachia grew from a complex idea into a blossoming initiative sought on restoring the integrity of Appalachia from farm to table.”

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~ Matan Dubnikov, Founder and Project Manager of Project Appalachia

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