About

Mariabell
1876 Preston str. Radcliff KY

Bio: I am a freelance chef and personal chef. My name is Maria Bell. Former Restaurant Owner and 2000-2022 Founder and Registered Agent of Be The Change Inc Foodbank. Member of Radcliff Women’s Club.at the Director for Members Outreach at Radcliff Small Business Alliance for Ribbon Cuttings/Grand Openings Member of Toastmasters International. Former Military Spouse Graduate of 2007 leadership class of Hardin County of 2007 Featured in the book 100 Fascinating Women of Louisville Ky, Secrets of Louisville Chefs and contestant at Guy Fieris Food Network. Member of Radcliff Rotary. Member of Hardin County Chamber of Commerce Kentucky Colonel Member of North Hardin Democratic Women’s Club. Candidate for political office. Motivational Business and Life Coach. Notary Public I am fearless and I can live anywhere and still be me. Mother, sister, grandma Hard worker, unstoppable, resilient, traveler, gardener, dancer, not so much singer, celebrity chef, and not afraid of the dash between born and died. I live to smile, help and love others. I was born and raised in Crete Greece from a Christian mother and an open minded father who fought the Germans at the age of 14. My husband was an airman and retired in 1994 in Crete. It was 1997 time to relocate and we chose Radcliff, so my husband could be near Fort Knox. Finding a job was difficult, everybody wanted me to open a Greek restaurant. In 2000, I opened a little 5 table restaurant outside Fort Knox. The restaurant became very successful, and I continued operating for 22 years. Beginning of 2020 Covid entered our lives. We lost business and we closed the restaurant. The employees left. I started giving the food away to help as many as I could. Same year 3rd December of 2020, the community lost a very active and compassionate person who was doing a free for all people in need Christmas Day Dinner. I requested to continue the dinner. The people who received the meals that Christmas Day, asked if I continue the meals other days, and I accepted. Social media and word of mouth helped to spread the word and I asked people for donations so I will continue. In the beginning the distribution of hot meals was once a week. A lot of people were in quarantine and I and my brother were leaving food at the doorstep. The need for food was escalating day by day. A lot of people lost their jobs and employers closed their businesses. In my efforts to help as many people as I could, I came across the idea of blessing boxes. So, the plan to build the blessing boxes started in February of 2021 5th of March we built and placed in the ground the 1st one at my restaurant’s parking and soon, the 2nd and 3rd, and now we have 13 total and adding 4 soon. The community embraced the effort, they started filling them up with food every day and people with food insecurities paraded and helped themselves to the free food to take home to the kids and family. We have fed 40.000 pieces of food and more in two years. We have a routine now, when we go shopping, we stop at one or two blessing boxes and fill them up people are telling me. The fact that lots of people in need find food when there was none before, it’s totally up to the donors. Life all of a sudden moved from No Hope to Hope. In July of 2021 I filed for 501 (c 3) so I could be able to receive monetary donations and I was granted. Be The Change Inc. Foodbank was born. www. Bethechange.network is the website. Our mission statement is “No hungry people in Hardin County by 2025” Our vision is 100 blessing boxes by 2025. The project continues to this day and the Christmas Day dinners (three so far), this year 2023 is the fourth, feed more people in need every year. In 2021 we fed 1000 people. I wouldn’t have done this if it wasn’t for the enthusiasm of Hardin County people, organizations and businesses. Almost everybody responded and donated one non perishable item or $10.00. For more information, pictures, TV and newspaper articles visit https:www.Facebook.com/Bethechangenpo http://www.Bethechange.network And spread the word. Donate. We need to continue fulfilling our mission No more hungry people in Hardin County and the world Thank you.

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