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Peace.Love.Smoothies. LLC
Tau'Toya Broadway
Registered Nurse, Peace. Love.Smoothies. Founder
peace.love.smoothies.llc@gmail.com
+1 (402) 706-6684
Yes
Founder and Organizer- Tau'Toya Broadway, BSN, RN. // Nebraska Development Center, professional business advising// Mazuma Accounting // Local Broker // Local Architect // Aryanna Broadway, Interior Designer//
CEO- Tau'Toya Broadway, build and maximize the value of Peace.Love. Smoothies. General Manager- manage staff, building operations Smoothie Lounge and Nutritious Shop Employees- assist in stocking, customer service Potential Community Partners- Charles Drew Health Center, Nebraska Medicine, Malcolm X Memorial Foundation
Peace.Love.Smoothies (P.L.S.) is a new organization. The goal is to increase access to healthy foods and promote health and wellness to improve the health of North Omaha residents. The support from this proposal will help build a nutritious, convenient shop with a natural smoothies lounge and drive-thru. In North Omaha, there is inadequate access to healthy food, resulting in high rates of diet-related diseases among residents. P.L.S. aims to serve as a primary care intervention in a community with a high prevalence of unhealthy fast foods. The founder of P.L.S. is a passionate, native Omahan Woman, Tau'Toya Broadway- the best fit for the P.L.S. business model. Tau'Toya has experience in Nutrition, Public Health, Global Health, Nursing, and Community Development (grass-roots approach.) Tau'Toya studied Nutrition Science and Global Studies at the Univesity of Nebraska-Lincoln and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Health and Human Sciences. Throughout her education, she worked in Elementary Schools, creating two programs. 1) Countries and Culture and 2) Healthy Eats. Both of the programs align with P.L.S to create healthier communities. She has traveled to Africa and focused on Food, Security, Nutrition, and Health. She then went on to serve in the United States Peace Corps as a Rural Health Educator, where she organized a mobile clinic- focused on screenings, diabetes education, and nutrition education. Also, during her time as a Peace Corps volunteer, she taught health classes at the local primary school. Currently, she works as a Registered Nurse in Women's Services at Nebraska Medicine. P.L.S. ties Tau'Toya's comprehensive experience to continue serving the community by promoting health and wellness.
Increase Access to Health Foods in North Omaha Through a Healthy Food Destination
304500.0
294500.0
Service/program
Peace. Love. Smoothies. L.L.C. (P.L.S.) desires to grow as a nutritious, convenient shop with a natural smoothie lounge. The Nutritious Shop's products include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, proteins, water, and 100% fruit juice - essential staple foods. In addition to convenient grocery options, the nutritious shop will provide options such as hand fruits, dipping snacks, snack cups, yogurt parfaits, wraps, salads, crunch snacks, trail mix, and healthy drinks in an inviting environment benefiting the people, along with a smoothie lounge focused on increasing access to nutritious fast-food. The lounge will have a small menu, including smoothies, crepes, teas, and bowls. P.L.S. is a one-of-a-kind destination in North Omaha- aiming to promote health and wellness in a disadvantaged community. The key to success for P.L.S. is to emerge as a strong community link, connecting primary care to public health by reaching people where they live. In addition to promoting dietary changes, interventions such as screenings and community runs can help reduce the occurrence of preventable diseases. Not only does research outline the health complications present in low-income communities related to nutrition and lifestyle, but the voices of North Omaha community members want to see improvements in their health status. According to the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), 71.2 percent of residents in Northeast Omaha and 66.0 percent of residents in Northwest Omaha are overweight or obese. When considering those who are obese, the data indicated that 40.2 percent of residents in Northeast Omaha and 33.0 percent of residents in Northwest Omaha fall within the definition of obese." Also, the prevalence of inactivity, 35.7% of adults 18+ reported inactivity, which is more significant than in surrounding areas of Omaha (ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT).
Open June 2024. Milestone 1, June 2022- Aug 2022 - Formation - Business Plan completed Milestone 2 (Sept 2022- Dec 2022) - Submit Proposal for LB 1024 - Complete design - Establish building crew Milestone 3 (May 2023- Aug 2023) - Award date - Begin construction Milestone 4 (Nov 2023- June 2024) - Procurement - Hire crew - Grand OPENING!
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Fundamental Change (i.e., a proposal that will continue to elevate North or South Omaha's presence and perception within the region, significantly improving the lives of area residents through physical development) Transformational (i.e., a proposal that will help energize, recharge, or spur significant and favorable advancements in North or South Omaha's function or appearance)
Other Infrastructure (i.e., develop or improve broadband, business districts, roadways, sewer, etc.) Policy (i.e., develop or improve context-sensitive education, finance, health, training, zoning, etc.) Quality of Life (i.e., create or enhance natural spaces, mixed uses, parks, safety, etc.) Sustainable Community (i.e., create or enhance housing, services, education, civic uses, recreation, etc.)
P.L.S. will aim to fulfill the community needs surrounding food insecurity, poor health, a lack of sustainable retail development, and minimal recreational activities for the youth and families. Changing ingrained eating habits is hard because food has such an emotional pull. Part of our habits with food are built into the rewards pathway in the brain. For example, why would someone switch from using butter to using olive oil if they do not see anything wrong with butter or the way it tastes? Many North Omaha consumers are not trying to do something for their health while consuming fast food. They want to get the biggest bang for their buck, which is one of the reasons traditional fast-food sells because a large portion can be bought for cheap. Also, many fast foods are filled with fat, sugar, and salt ingredients that can trigger a sense of comfort and satisfaction. A change in the environment must occur to overcome detrimental habits and choose healthy ones. A vast amount of unhealthy fast-food restaurants can be spotted throughout North Omaha, with a minimal presence of healthy-fast food options. P.L.S. focuses on improving community health. Healthier communities decrease disease risk and provide healthier food options for children to grow strong and healthy. Primary care, such as screenings, results in lower blood pressure, increased awareness, and decreased health complications. The location of P.L.S. will be in North Omaha, but it aims to attract community members and become a destination for others through word-of-mouth, advertisement, product, and price.
The mission of P.L.S. is to provide intervention to: 1) decrease food insecurity by providing healthy food options in low-income, disadvantaged neighborhoods. 2) increase resources to decrease disease and poor health through nutrition education and a stimulating, healthy environment 3) promote physical activity in a united, community manner through annual community runs. There is a need for healthy food options in low-income communities. Despite considerable efforts to help put fresh, affordable healthy food choices onto the tables of community members, a growing need remains to increase equitable access to healthy food and invest in community-led and healthy food retail development.
The proposal to receive funding for a nutritious, convenient shop with a natural smoothie lounge and drive-thru is a community need to improve and sustain the health of North Omaha residents. It aligns with LB1024's strategic priority to address community health and the workforce. There are opportunities to increase access to healthy food options, nutrition education programs, and provide destinations to increase activity levels. Providing beneficial employment will address the strategic priority to decrease poverty and improve the North Omaha workforce. Employees will learn valuable customer service skills and health-related information while also having the opportunity to earn money during community outreach events. There are opportunities to retain the young population within North Omaha to grow the community's workforce and build social capital within the community as they age.
Initially, P.L.S. will employ two full-time employees, and two part-time employees. The brand designer and events coordinator are seasonal positions. The various independent contractors, architects, and engineered hired are temporary positions.
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The wages offered are competitive for the selected industry. Both full-time and part-time employees will start at $11.00 (Nebraska Mcdonald's Cashiers only make $10.46 an hour, which is 13% below the national average). The independent contractor will include community educators, a brand designer, and an events coordinator- each making a budgeted $17.50 an hour. Each employee (excluding independent contractors) will have a health care insurance option, with initial training and a uniform shirt.
The objective of P.L.S. is to increase the quality of life in North Omaha by improving the health of community residents. P.L.S. aims to become a family-friendly health destination to buy staple foods, sit down and converse with family and friends, study using the free wi-fi, or grab a smoothie from the drive-thru.
P.L.S. will stand out against competitors by highlighting community feedback through customer surveys, listening to community members' voices, and community member connections are keys to success within P.L.S.- a store owner's outreach to the community is a critical way to achieve community support. P.L.S. will foster its operation around the needs of residents and create a space that encourages customers to return. The Smoothie Lounge will become a community hub that fosters social interaction by offering community runs, health promotion programs, massage chairs, and small meeting spaces. In addition, P.L.S. will stand out because of the business's experience, appearance, and management. The desired expertise for P.L.S. is warm, convenient, and straightforward. In later phases of P.L.S., curbside or delivery will provide enhanced convenience and the option to pay with SNAP benefits. Also, in later stages, the Nutritious Shop will offer Black Owned supplies that other stores do not, such as multivitamins, superfood blends, herbal supplements, and natural soaps and lotions. The layout of P.L.S. is organized with easy-to-find products and a user-friendly P.O.S. system. The appearance of P.L.S. is a warm and inviting atmosphere with a natural color scheme and soft jazz or coffee music on the speakers. Significant differentiation between P.L.S. and other Healthy Neighborhood Stores is that a black woman owns P.L.S, and the business is for the people.
Yes. A long-term objective is establishing self-serve smoothie vending machines in schools, hospitals, and sporting events. There is also a desire to expand from one location to several locations throughout low-income communities to improve disadvantaged communities' overall health and wellness.
Yes
Charles Drew Health Center (referrals from Health Center to P.L.S.), Nebraska Medicine (education sessions, in-store private screenings), Malcolm X Memorial Foundation (community run partner)
None, potential partners
No
Potential locations 4111 N 30th Street - commercial space, land value= $16,400, 44282 SF, two blocks north of Ames. Nearby: McDonalds, Auto Zone, Family Dollar, Laundry Mat, Elementary School, Burger King, Metro Community College, Scooters, Omaha Public Library 3802 N 30th Street- commercial space, land value= $11,700, 28800 SF. Near by: King Soloman church, Time Out Foods, several liquor stores, Interstate 75
Within one or more QCTs
No
No
Yes
No
No
Research- desire a steel building
No
The funds will be used for acquiring land, purchasing a steel building, start-up costs, equipment, initial inventory, legal fees, consultation fees, contractor fees, and initial payroll.
Yes
P.L.S. will continue to serve nutritious food in North Omaha.
Owner will invest $10,000
Yes
In the start-up cost, a food truck is listed. The food truck can be added during a different phase.
Peace.Love.Smoothies. LLC Tau'Toya Broadway This statement is to express my commitment to support and develop Peace.Love.Smoothies. in North Omaha, Nebraska that was proposed to the Omaha Economic Recovery Act Committee for funding. This is to confirm the requested amount of $294,500, should the proposal be approved I commit to contributing $10,000 to the development of Peace.Love.Smoothies. Tau'Toya Broadway
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Additional Location Documents (see application for list) Data table of uses (breakdown of how the requested funds will be used for your proposal) Organizational Chart Plans and detailed descriptions, including pictures and a map of the site location/surrounding area Pro Forma Proposal Budget/Sources and Uses Schedule