The Story

Lovin’ Oven Corporation is a crowdfunded, IRS recognized 501(c)3, not-for-profit entity whose sole purpose is to share bread with others. Its first project will be Burning Knead, a food truck outfitted for bread baking. Lovin’ Oven will crowdsource the costs to operate the vehicle for storage, required fuels, insurances, kitchen supplies and ingredients with the initial goal of having 100 bakes over a two-year period. One hundred bakes will result in the sharing of bread with approximately 100,000 people. Funds and the vehicle will be used solely to bake flatbread for gifting or to otherwise fundraise for Lovin’ Oven operations.

Cooking and gifting will include all people on both sides of the counter, from all walks of life, because the act of gifting and receiving gifts is not limited to just the haves and have nots. The goodness of giving or receiving is applicable to everyone. It has lasting positive effects that we hope will create goodness-ripples and warm conversations throughout communities. We intend to create an environment where certain positive principles can be communicated, shared, and deployed both on the baking and gifting sides.

This Is My Story

Imagine a colorfully decorated, unique-in-appearance food truck (art car) emblazoned with the Burning Knead name, espousing (thru art and text) 10 Principles, fitted up with a state-licensed kitchen with space for 6 to work, full of proofing (final rise) flatbread and a refrigerator full of unique toppings, parked at a shelter, a construction site, the beach, an office building or a festival, with welcoming music, its side open for the public to see the volunteers and the ovens in operation, with fans blowing the enticing odoriferous exhaust, with a line of people waiting excitedly and curiously for their opportunity to receive an unsolicited gift of freshly prepared bread. All the while, volunteers share why it’s important to give while patrons talk about the unique experience of receiving an unsolicited gift.

The Tenets

Tenets of Lovin’ Oven Corporation as adopted from the
10 Principles of Burning Man

Radical Inclusion

Anyone may be a part of the Lovin’ Oven experience, from fundraising to handing out bread and everything in between. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community other than those that might be required under food service laws in the areas we will operate.

Gifting

Lovin’ Oven is devoted to the act of gift giving. The gift is unconditional which means that nothing at all is required or expected in return or exchange for it. The intention of our gift of bread is to assist in the starting, or continuing, of conversations about how to improve relationships and communications between individuals within communities.

Decommodification

There is no commercial sponsorship of Lovin’ Oven meaning that there will be no commercialization of any component of the Lovin’ Oven experience. There will never be a charge for bread, it will always be a gift. There will be no publicization of donors other than what may be required under applicable law.

Radical Self-Reliance

Burning Knead encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on their inner resources. The preparation for an event will take effort and commitment, will involve extensive planning and will require a material time commitment. Participation will demand performance under often difficult circumstances, volunteers will need to be prepared for these conditions without reliance on others.

Radical Self-Expression

Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of each individual. Volunteers will be urged to dress in costume and display talents in an effort to make others feel comfortable, welcome, accepted and to spark the conversation we want to happen while in line at the Burning Knead experience.

Communal Effort

Lovin’ Oven is a group effort; it only succeeds through creative cooperation and collaboration. Planning, fundraising, and executing this idea will take the efforts of many to succeed, all are welcome to participate.

Civic Responsibility

We value civil society. Lovin’ Oven will assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. All events will be in accordance with local, state and federal laws, obtaining proper licenses in every municipality we serve, gaining permission from required entities and providing proper insurances as required.

Leaving No Trace

Lovin’ Oven respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them. We will provide trash receptacles and remove all trash and police all grounds prior to departing.

Participation

Lovin’ Oven is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing, we gain knowledge and access deeper ideas through participation. Everyone is invited to volunteer and to enjoy the fruits of labor. We intend to make the world real through actions that open the heart. We want the Lovin’ Oven experience to lead to involvement in other goodness in the communities we visit.

Immediacy

Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. Lovin’ Oven will provide a forum for different people from different walks of life to recognize their inner selves, the reality of those around them, the importance of participation in society, and the critical importance of the natural world. Inclusive conversations will be the cornerstone of our bakery.

Donate

Please take a moment and help us realize this dream, it only takes a minute to click your donation. Know that every dollar raised will go to share bread with 10 people from all walks of life. Your gift will have a meaningful impact on someone’s day, they will feel recognized and appreciated. While you might not see their smile and hear their gratitude, know that they are beaming with delight. While our goal for full funding is $130,000, we will have enough to begin operations at $60,000. Thank you for giving!

PAYPAL

GOFUNDME

VENMO