We recently had the chance to connect with Erin-Michelle Luttrell and have shared our conversation below.
Erin-Michelle, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
There are so many misconceptions about managing a self-choice food market (pantry.)
It’s much more than distributing food—it’s about community health, dignity, logistics and trust. The Catholic Charities Serve&Lift self-choice market empowers individuals to select foods that meet their cultural, dietary, and family needs, which takes significantly more planning, variety, and storage coordination than pre-packed bags with a drive-through approach. A small nonprofit grocery store operatively requires skilled staff, food safety knowledge, data systems for tracking inventory and neighbor visits, partnerships with food banks and wholesalers, regulatory compliance, grant writing and ongoing community engagement.
While we procure food every day, the food isn’t always free and donated. Relying only on donations leads to gaps in variety, volume and vitality. Funding is often necessary to maintain balanced, nutritious offerings. I may purchase a significant portion of inventory, especially for protein, dairy, and culturally appropriate foods, while other pantries must do the same to survive.
Many think that a food pantry is for “other people.” Food insecurity crosses so many boundaries. Our neighbors are employed, elderly, disabled, or raising children. Especially in economic downturns, layoffs, or during inflation spikes, demographics shift rapidly, and food insecurity can affect us all at any time.
Yet, I think of one the biggest misconceptions in a food pantry is that hunger is the only issue being addressed. Food is an entry point. Many markets/pantries are now hubs for holistic care—offering cooking classes, financial coaching, healthcare referrals, and benefits navigation. The pantry becomes a bridge, not just a stopgap.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Erin-Michelle Luttrell, and I have the privilege of managing the Serve & Lift Market at Catholic Charities of Kansas City–St. Joseph. Our market is more than a food pantry—it’s a welcoming, self-choice space where individuals and families facing food insecurity can shop with dignity, select what best fits their family and cultural needs, and feel supported every step of the way.
As a chef and culinary entrepreneur, what makes this work so meaningful to me is that we’re not just filling shelves—we’re building trust, creating access to healthy food, and walking with our neighbors through some of life’s hardest moments. Every day, we work to lift people up, not just by what we offer, but by how we offer it—with respect, compassion, and hope.
Right now, I’m especially focused on expanding partnerships, improving nutrition and culinary education, and designing new ways to involve our community—whether through volunteerism, in-kind support, or creative donation drives. It’s an exciting time of growth and reimagining what a food pantry can be.
I’m so proud to be creating more than a market—we’re creating a movement of service, dignity, and lasting change in the landscape of holistic nourishment and food insecurity.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served its purpose and is ready to be released
…is the version of me that believed I had to carry it all alone.
I’ve spent so much time building, nurturing, serving, and protecting others—often from a place of quiet strength, resilience, and determination. But somewhere along the way, I internalized the belief that I had to be the one who held everything together—that asking for help, setting boundaries, or stepping back would mean I wasn’t doing, or being, enough. I internalized that the work I was doing personally and professionally was a direct reflection of my overall worth.
That part of me was born out of necessity. It got me here. It carried me through uncertainty, built credibility, earned trust. But now, it’s okay to release it. I don’t have to be the whole system and I now feel allowed to delegate, to rest, to trust the community I’ve cultivated to take on some of the weight.
Letting go of that old story makes space for something richer: shared leadership, sustainable impact, and a version of me that thrives—not just survives.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
“You were never meant to hold it all by yourself. You did what you had to do, and I’m so proud of you. But it’s safe now—to rest, to trust, to receive. You don’t have to prove your worth through carrying weight alone. You are enough, even when your hands are empty.”
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to the belief that everyone deserves to be seen, fed, and treated with dignity—no matter their story, no matter their circumstance.
And I’m committed to building spaces—like the Serve & Lift Market—where that belief becomes practice. Where food is nourishment, but also an invitation. Where help feels like hope, not shame.
This isn’t just a project. It’s a lifelong promise to stay with the work of compassion, equity, and community—however long it takes, whatever it takes.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes. A few years ago I opened Éclairs de la Lune, a boutique bakery and custom cakery in Independence, Missouri. It was everything I thought I wanted—creative, successful, and widely celebrated. I won awards, earned thousands of loyal customers, was named the city’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and appeared on local television, radio programming, and Good Morning America. We raised tens of thousands of dollars for worthy causes and filled our days with sweetness.
But somewhere deep down, I knew: it still wasn’t feeding people in the way I was called to.
The success was real, but it didn’t satisfy the deeper hunger in me—the one for service, connection, and justice. That experience taught me the difference between achievement and alignment. I had built something beautiful, but not the thing that was mine to carry forward.
Now, in this new chapter—walking alongside people in need, creating a market rooted in dignity, and lifting community through nourishment—I feel that alignment. This work fills me in a way no spotlight ever could.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://catholiccharities-kcsj.org/market/
- Instagram: @eclairs_de_la_lune
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/erin-michelle-luttrell-5952467
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