We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kyara Ofuani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kyara below.

Alright, Kyara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.

As Mrs. Black North Georgia International Ambassador, I serve the underserved community through my FREEDOM OF FAITH FOOD BANK. We serve the community by addressing, understanding, and contributing to the resolution of health and environmental disparities in communities of color. Freedom of Faith Food Bank’s (FFFB) project gears towards alleviating hunger by soliciting, collecting, growing, and packaging food for distribution through a network of service agencies and programs that serve our target population groups. The Freedom of Faith Food Bank and Community Garden Project is a community-based initiative aimed at providing healthy food options to local residents in need. The project will involve several entities including the local faith community, volunteers, local businesses, and government agencies.
Our services include food box programs, emergency food programs, good gardens, food pantries and a youth farm that provides opportunities for self-sufficiency activities for “at risk” youth.
Freedom of Faith Food Bank plans receive support from the county, charitable organizations and corporate sponsorship. Since food insecurity is a real threat many Atlanteans are facing every day, Freedom and Faith Food Bank aims to reduce short- and long-term food insecurity for those experiencing financial constraints, and food deserts through strategic food pantry programs and sponsorship events.
The local businesses will play a key role in the success of the project, through providing donations of food, supplies, and financial support. Government agencies may also provide support in the form of grants, technical assistance, and other resources.
Our client base aim is low-income people, mainly families, who need emergency help to put food on the table. Nearly half of those served by the program will be children.
Freedom Of Faith Food Bank will operate a central property, warehouse, food/soup kitchen, and dining facility where we can store donated or rescued food for distribution.
The project will involve the establishment of a food bank, which will provide free or low-cost food to those in need. The food bank will be stocked with donated food from local businesses and individuals, as well as food grown in the community garden.
The program will actively solicit food from local food growers, retailers, wholesalers, and processors. In addition, (FFFB) will collect food donations from restaurants for immediate distribution to service programs.
The community garden will be established on a piece of land donated by the local government or private landowners. The garden will be maintained by volunteers from the local faith community, who will plant and tend to the crops. The produce grown in the garden will be distributed through the food bank, providing fresh, healthy food to those in need.
Our services will improve the ability of families to care for children and achieve repeatable goals of self sufficiency through proven programing. FFFB’s services will be a small investment in comparison to the cost of ignoring the problem of hunger in the county and the influence it has on a number of health and crime issues. Freedom of Faith Food Bank is seeking to develop a Food bank and gardening space for the growth of productive plants, allowing our community to connect in a spirit of sharing. From our detailed research and analysis, we foresee that through the development of our foodbank and garden, a range of valued practices will be learnt, exchanged and promoted.
Overall, the Freedom of Faith Food Bank and Community Garden Project will be a collaborative effort between various entities in the community, working together to address food insecurity and promote healthy eating habits.

Freedom of faith food bank serving the underserved community is important for several reasons.

Firstly, it helps to address the issue of food insecurity in the community. Food insecurity is a significant problem in many communities, particularly among low-income households. By providing food assistance to those who need it, the food bank helps to ensure that people have access to the basic necessities of life.

Secondly, the food bank serves an important social role by promoting community cohesion and solidarity. By providing food assistance to those in need, the food bank helps to foster a sense of community and shared responsibility for the welfare of all members of society. It also helps to reduce the stigma associated with hunger and poverty by creating a safe and supportive environment for people to access food assistance.

Thirdly, the food bank promotes the values of compassion, generosity, and social justice. By providing food assistance to those in need, the food bank helps to create a more just and equitable society, where everyone has access to the resources they need to live a dignified life. It also provides an opportunity for people to engage in acts of kindness and generosity, which can be personally rewarding and help to build a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Overall, the Freedom of Faith Food Bank’s service to the underserved community is an important contribution to the well-being of society, both in terms of meeting basic needs and promoting social values.

Kyara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Kyara Ofuani is a passionate new attorney dedicated to health, food, and environmental justice in the BIPOC community. Her journey started with her husband Michael’s introduction of veganism and Kyara’s introduction of food service to the homeless. The married couple researched and authored ways to address the systemic inequities that hinder food access and excessive diseases at both local and national levels in the black community. The couple began with small projects in different cities they traveled to. From street clean ups, food and hygiene distribution, and community gardening, the couple felt it was important to serve and provide knowledge of the similarities of health, food, and environmental injustices in black communities. The drive behind Freedom of Faith Food Bank is to create a Food justice movement in its current form. This would include combining elements of the civil rights movements, the environmental justice movements, and growing tides of community resistance to oppressive food systems. The couple believes that providing healthy food, educating about healthy food and the dangers of the average black diet, and advocating for food deserts and injustices is detrimental to the future of the black community. Freedom of Faith Food Bank is an organization and movement that will change the physical, mental, and spiritual trajectory of the black community.

During Kyara’s Mrs. Black North Georgia International Ambassador reign, she has chosen to bring awareness, resources, and change to health and environmental justice. Specifically, previously she has had the privilege to partner with multiple nonprofit organizations, advocating for our communities. To highlight a few of the organizations and our efforts I partnered with The Veggie project of Dallas, to build an urban garden where the community on Malcolm X Blvd can have access to free fresh vegetables. In addition to partnering with Not my Son nonprofit organization to advocate for policy change and attend city council meetings to advocate on behalf of the community. Further, she has had the privilege to have an event with former Senator Nina Turner to work towards implementing food justice projects around our HBCU neighbors, to combat the food desert and homelessness crisis. Not only is she advocating for change on the legal side, Kyara is right on the ground with her community hosting free food distributions with the Black Heritage Foundation and Urban league, volunteering at shelters and youth programs with Collective Action for youth, hosting informational community meetings with Pure Justice organization and continuing collecting clothing and goods to give to the homeless. Most recently she had the honor to connect with the bread of life church for the monthly free food distribution. In addition to an interview with the Amanda Show on 102.5 fm powered by the bread of life foundation.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

The Freedom of Faith Food Bank is a vital resource for the underserved community, and its funding is crucial to its continued success. The food bank relies on a variety of sources to fund its operations, including grants, donors, community members, and the founder’s personal investment.

Grants are an important source of funding for many nonprofits, including the Freedom of Faith Food Bank. Grant funding allows nonprofits to carry out their missions and provide much-needed services to the community. It is especially important for black businesses and nonprofits to utilize grant funding, as historically, black communities have been disproportionately affected by poverty and lack of access to resources. By securing grant funding, black businesses and nonprofits can address these issues and improve economic development in their communities.

The Freedom of Faith Food Bank goes even further in its efforts to support the economic development of the black community by offering grant writing services through its subsidiary company, Legally Black Consulting Firm. This service helps members of the black community to access the funding they need to start or grow their businesses or nonprofits. By providing this service, the food bank is not only addressing the immediate needs of the community but also working towards long-term economic development and empowerment.

In conclusion, the Freedom of Faith Food Bank’s funding model, which includes grants, donors, community members, and the founder’s personal investment, is critical to its ability to serve the underserved community. Additionally, by offering grant writing services through its subsidiary company, the food bank is making a significant contribution to the economic development of the black community.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

It was the fall semester at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and I was struggling to keep up with my coursework. That’s when I met my future husband, who I met in the library and became my tutor for one of my classes. From the moment we met, I was struck by his intelligence, kindness, and his passion for helping others.

As we worked together, I began to realize that we had a lot in common. We were both black attorneys who were deeply committed to advancing our community. We talked about our shared values and goals, and it wasn’t long before we started dating.

Fairly quickly, we realized that we wanted to do more than just date – we wanted to build a life together and create a legacy for our family. We both had a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and we knew that we could make a real impact in our community if we worked together.

So, we became business partners and co-founders of Legally Black Consulting Firm. Our goal was to help other black entrepreneurs and nonprofits access the funding and resources they needed to succeed. We worked tirelessly to build our business, and before we knew it, we had a thriving practice that was making a real difference in the lives of our clients.

But we didn’t stop there. We also founded the Freedom of Faith Food Bank, a nonprofit that provided food assistance to members of our community who were struggling with food insecurity. We believed that it was important to give back to our community, and we knew that we could make a real difference through this organization.

As we continued to work together, we became more than just business partners – we became partners in life. We got married and started a family, and we continued to grow our business and our nonprofit together. We were young community leaders, serving as a living example of our African nature and the power of black love and partnership.

Today, we are proud of what we’ve built together. We have created a legacy for our family and for our community, and we continue to work towards our shared goal of advancing our community and empowering black entrepreneurs and nonprofits. We know that we have a lot of work to do, but we are committed to the cause, and we believe that we can make a real difference if we work together.       

Contact Info:

• Website: Legallyblackstore.com
• Instagram: @dr.kyofuani
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyara.murry
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyara-murry-ofuani-esq-a86695111/
• Youtube: Long Story Short With Dr. Kyara Murry
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzY_FZ52XG75cgcZjJIzVYQ

Image Credits
Nola Von AfroGleam Production Www.agpaccess.com Instragram @agpaccess