Although it has been said many times, the Market staff and board are inspired to see the entrepreneur and philanthropic spirit grow amidst the pandemic. Even in our microcosm community, we have seen vendors, staff, and customers stepping up for one another and organizations they are passionate about supporting. Last week we welcomed Food for Thought to the market for the first time, which perfectly exemplifies this spirit.



Food for Thought offers shrikhand, a traditional western Indian dessert made with yogurt that is delicately flavored with cardamom, nutmeg, and saffron. Food for Thought LLC was born out of Ajay Sathe’s passion for cooking and volunteering to make a positive change in the world. While his day job as an engineer takes up a lot of his time and he thoroughly enjoys it, he wanted to utilize his skills in the kitchen for the greater good. To that end, he recently set up a non-profit catering service and has been catering small events in the community. Sathe donates all proceeds to charities, locally in the PNW and in India, where he grew up. 100% of Food for Thoughts proceeds go directly to their chosen organizations. Sathe bears all administrative and raw material costs and considers them his contribution to the cause.



Food for Thought’s chosen organizations and charities will be rotated on a weekly or monthly basis. The causes closest to their heart are education, social equality, and justice, women empowerment, and nature conservation. Previous organizations include Akshay Patra, Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha, Transition Projects, Asha Hope Amanaki, and Planned Parenthood. This week’s partner is Transition Projects.

In their first week at the market Food for Thought raised $1000 for Pratham. Pratham, Established in 1995, provides education to children in Mumbai slums, Pratham (which means “first” in Sanskrit) is now one of the largest and most successful nongovernmental education organizations in India. Working in collaboration with governments, communities, parents, teachers, and volunteers, they focus on innovative interventions to address gaps in the education system. The clarity of their mission — “every child in school and learning well” — drives them to make an impact on the lives of India's children and extends from their leadership to their team in the field. Pratham USA is a volunteer-driven organization with 14 chapters across the United States that raise awareness and mobilize financial resources for their work on the ground.



Shrikhand flavors include Rose, Mango, Fruit and Nut, and Classic. Marketing Director, Kate Laubernds, and family have been enjoying the classic shrikhand as a parfait this week with Nate’s Oatmeal Cookies raisin pecan oatmeal cookie crumbles, and fresh blueberries. 

 Warm Regards,

The Beaverton Farmers Market