With cheerful eyes and a peppy attitude, Nicole Gates, owner of Lil Greenhouse, welcomed residents of the community with a free warm plate of food and a joyous attitude. With signs and loud sounds volunteers called anyone passing by to come get a free meal.
Lil Greenhouse House located in Miami’s Historic Overtown, serves a variety of classic soul foods served in a family friendly atmosphere. A black-owned business run by Nicole Gates and Chef Karim Bryant, they are dedicated to helping the community as much as they can. For the past month, every Thursday, Lil Greenhouse, with the help from Food Rescue Us, has been donating meals to the community. “We have been funding restaurants such as Lil Greenhouse to prepare meals,” said Ellen Bowen, Miami Site Director for Food Rescue Us, a nonprofit organization that rescues food surplus from different restaurants across the country.
Lil Greenhouse has received a lot of attention for its loyalty to the community. Most notably receiving a visit from Oprah back in January. The visit was covered by the Miami Herald because of Gates’ commitment to the neighborhood. Gates told the Miami Herald, “We’re trying to bring some dignity to this community”. Because of recent changes in ownership of the building in which Lil Greenhouse is located, they are looking for a new location. They want to stay in Overtown, but find it difficult due to the redevelopment in the community. Gates and her family call Overtown home and wish to stay here for many years to come.
For now, Lil Greenhouse is dedicated to donating up to 200 meals every Thursday for the next coming weeks. Bowan said everyone is welcomed to stop by to get a free meal no questions asked, all that they ask is for everyone to wear a mask.
Lil Greenhouse Address: 1300 NW 3rd Ave., Overtown
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