The past year has marked a tremendous transition for Channing Murray Foundation and the Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant. At the start of this year, it seemed as if we’d entered into difficult times: high rates of staff turn-over, low profits facilitating a subsequently low worker morale, a challenging division of labor, and a number of building issues having accumulated over the years from managing the upkeep of a historic building on a strapped budget. We, the Executive Board, knew that we’d need energy, collaboration, and innovation in order to address the challenges in front of us. We’re proud to report that in the face of challenging times, we arrive at today’s 2014 Annual Meeting with a string of successes behind us and a renewed energy for what remains before us.

In the past year alone we’ve reduced staff turn-over at the Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant and  re-envisioned the overall employee structure of the Foundation consolidating our janitorial and resident advisor positions into a Facilities Manager position, operating with a single Executive Director, and creating a Financial Manager position for the Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant. We utilized four core interns: Jennifer Joo, Rui Song, Santhiya Suriyanarayanan, and Molly Roche who researched grants for the 2014 year, helped reshape our new website, served as an accounting assistant, and handled marketing for the Red Herring, respectively. We initiated new programs including our ever-popular Vegan Fusion Dinners, got our hands dirty to make building improvements including new paint jobs and better seating in the Red Herring, and came together in the spirit of renewal.

Throughout this past year, staff and Board members have frequently commented on the overall improvement of the Foundation and the Red Herring. In this Annual Report, you’ll see these efforts explained in detail—outlining achievements and where there continues to be opportunity to grow as we continue to initiate and sustain our educational and social mission of Channing Murray Foundation. To get you excited about the year in front of us, we’d like to share a little about some new initiatives that you’ll see truly take shape this upcoming year:

• Increased programming in the Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant including Farm to (Turn)Table Dinners, Enviro-Educational Workshops, and a pilot bike delivery service run initially by volunteers.

• Our Tagore Chapel Renovation Project will include (1) permanent extension of the stage, (2) chancel rail media cabinet with AV system, (3) projector hung on the ceiling, and full auditorium sound system, (4) or screen at back or front of room, (5) wooden cabinet for lighter chairs, (6) keypad doors and more.

• A vibrant Development Committee of the board that will take the lead on securing grants, donors, renters, and increasing overall membership of the Foundation.

One thing’s for sure—this year has been challenging and we worked to put out a lot of fires from the get go. We’ve come a long way in simply re-organizing and growing a more cohesive model of operation at the Foundation. This 2014-2015 year we aspire to be one of concrete financial growth and stability for the Foundation. Our major efforts on the part of the Board of Directors will be development and economic sustainability. We hope you’ll join us.