Coffee with the Collective at Root

Coffee with the Collective and Root North Shore

Building Community Through Collaborative Connections in Salem. The Coffee with the Collective series has become an essential monthly gathering where Essex County business owners come together as community builders. These collaborative gatherings bring together entrepreneurs, creators, consultants, service providers, and innovators from across industries - all united by their belief that business success includes contributing to our region's vibrancy.

Our September gathering will be hosted at Root's Foodservice Training facility. Root North Shore, Inc - @rootnorthshore

Root North Shore, Inc: A nonprofit social enterprise established in Salem in 2016 that provides a rigorous 12-week culinary workforce training program for at-risk youth ages 16-24. The organization's mission is to help young adults create pathways to independence through foodservice training and employment, transforming students into confident, workplace-ready graduates with essential life and work skills.

Root operates multiple social enterprises including the Root Cafe, Catering by Root services, and HarborPoint event space, while producing over 700 weekly meals for North Shore families experiencing food insecurity. With 74 graduates working throughout Salem's hospitality industry, Root creates a vital pipeline of skilled workers while addressing critical community needs. The organization demonstrates extensive cross-industry collaboration through partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, and businesses, earning recognition including the 2020 BONS Readers' Choice Award for Catering.

Creative Collective: Where Essex County businesses build community and drive each other's success. We serve business owners who see their work as community building - entrepreneurs, creators, consultants, and innovators who believe their success contributes to something larger. Through collaborative learning, authentic connections, and cross-industry support, we're building an ecosystem where diverse businesses thrive together, strengthening our entire region.

Join us for genuine conversations, cross-sector discoveries, and the kind of authentic connections that make our Essex County business community so vibrant. Whether you're seeking collaboration, shared learning, or simply connecting with other community-minded business owners, you'll find your place here.

Host or Publisher Creative Collective LLC