Welcome to the Cottage Food Kitchen Movement! . . . Good evening, everyone. Let me tell you a story about Plainfield. A story about its people, its culture, its rich history. A story about its future. . You see, for too long, too many of our neighbors—our friends, our families, our young people—have had dreams of starting something of their own. A bakery, a spice business, a sauce company—something that represents their heritage, their creativity, their passion for food. But too often, those dreams get bogged down in paperwork, regulations, and unnecessary barriers that make it harder—not easier—to build a business right here at home. Now, what if I told you that we could change that? What if I told you that right here, in Plainfield, we could create a thousand new food entrepreneurs—bakers, spice makers, food innovators—who turn their ideas into reality? That's what we're setting out to do. . We are going to build a web application that will make it easier than ever to become a licensed cottage food operator in New Jersey. A process that, right now, can take weeks—maybe months—will be streamlined into something you can do in an hour. We'll lay out the costs, remove the confusion, and give people—hardworking, passionate people—the tools they need to take that first step toward starting their own food business. But we're not stopping there. Because this isn't just about businesses. It's about education. It's about our young people. . We are going to take this knowledge, this opportunity, and bring it into our high schools. We're going to build a program—an internship—where every single high school student in Plainfield can learn how to start a business, get hands-on experience, and walk away with a real food operator's permit by the time they finish. Imagine a school curriculum where students aren't just learning theory—they are creating, building, launching. By the end of the program, every participant will have chosen a product, designed its branding, priced it, built a business plan, earned their food safety certification, and, most importantly, made their product a reality. And then, at the end of it all, we will bring together an entire street—lined with young entrepreneurs, each showcasing their food, their flavors, their ideas—to the entire city. It will be a day of celebration. A day of opportunity. A day where Plainfield sees its future standing before it. . Now, folks, let me tell you something: This is not just a project; it is a movement. Because when we invest in our young people, when we remove the barriers to entrepreneurship, when we create a culture where business ownership is not just for the wealthy, not just for the well-connected, but for anyone with a good idea and the will to make it happen—Plainfield doesn't just grow. It leads. So I ask you all tonight—leaders, educators, community members, parents—let's come together to build this. Let's invest in our future. Let's create a thousand new businesses. A thousand new dreams. And let's make Plainfield the capital of food entrepreneurship in New Jersey. Because change doesn't come from waiting. It comes from doing. And together, we can do this. Thank you. God bless you. Let's get to work.