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S A N TA C R U Z S E N T I N E L . C O M 2022 READERS CHOICE AWARDS | FEBRUARY 26, 2023 | 19 community we seek to serve appreciates what we're doing, well it means everything." She and her team "aim to serve and support" and are inspired by the gratitude they receive from customers and by the local vendors they utilize each week. "To know the farmers that put food on your table builds a resilient community," says Melanie. "The pandemic was an incredible opportunity to see the value of that mission; it was very rewarding to be able to support our members' health—and to support local farmers—in such a challenging time." Sarah Powell, 53, first ordered from GRK in September 2020. She lives in unincorporated Santa Cruz near Scotts Valley and orders two to three items each week. "During the heart of the pandemic, I was living alone and got so tired of cooking all my meals, so I started ordering from GRK," says Powell. "I always felt safe going to get my food and know they had gone above and beyond to keep their customers safe." Powell loves that the food comes from organic farms that use sustainable and regenerative practices. "I also like that they use reusable glass jars and compostable plant-based packaging," she says. "The food is delicious! So many creative dishes inspired by many different cultures. I can't think of anything I've gotten that I didn't like. It tastes great and makes you feel good while you eat, all while reducing your carbon footprint." "It may seem a little expensive at first," adds Powell. "For the quality of the food and to feel like a part of a community, it is all worth it. It really isn't more than ordering take-out, and it's so much better for you and the planet." Also, she has found that as someone living alone, over time she is "…actually spending less money on groceries and wasting a lot less food. This is very helpful and makes me feel good about my choice to order from GRK." Some of her favorite dishes are Fogline Farm Anti-Inflammatory Bone Broth, The Green Greek Goddess Salad, and Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies with Maldon Sea Salt. Mackerer explains why she spends the money on Golden Roots Kitchen: "I am deeply grateful to GRK for inviting greater ease in my life by freeing me up to do what I love instead of spending time, energy and mind space on conceptualizing meals, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning after every meal. This is a gift and a huge privilege. The expense is worth every penny to have peace of mind that my family is consuming delicious nutritious meals that are organic and sustainably and responsibly sourced." Melanie gives much credit for GRK's success to her team. "Until recently, my role as executive chef meant that I did the menu planning and quality control, and also supported communication between production teams," she says. "However, I recently went on maternity leave. I had a difficult pregnancy that took me away from the business earlier than expected and I was blown away by how dedicated and committed each of our team members are. They are incredibly kind, talented, and so hardworking. They are 100% responsible for our win for best service." Oakwood Chapel 3301 Paul Sweet Road Santa Cruz, CA 95065 831-475-2464 FD-1530 l ank you for voting us Best Funeral Homes in Santa Cruz County! Santa Cruz's Locally Owned, Family Operated Funeral Homes Mission Chapel 1927 Ocean Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-426-1601 FD-1476 continues on 20