WEST DES MOINES, Iowa  —  A metro couple knew they were doing good by helping to feed the homeless from their food truck, but they felt there was more they could be doing.  That sparked an idea that became a reality on Thursday.

Nick Kuhn helped jump start the food truck craze in the metro years ago.  He used the business to feed the whole community, both customers and the homeless at outreach events.  However he says a year ago he decided it was time for his mission to evolve.

“We are making a transition from feed a man a fish mode to teach a man to fish,” Kuhn said at a groundbreaking event for The Justice League of Food, “We do believe the cycle of poverty can be broken through the creation of jobs and through education.”

The Justice League of Food, run by Kuhn and his wife Lynn, will be equal parts kitchen and school for homeless Iowans.  The entire kitchen will be staffed by homeless youth, teaching them valuable job and life skills.  All the food they prepare will be served to the metro homeless community.

Kuhn says it sounded like a wild idea to him and his wife when they first announced it more than a year ago.  Polk County Supervisor Angela Connolly was impressed with the idea and offer the first public money for the project.  Prairie Meadows then followed with another big grant.  But the final piece of the fundraising came from a surprise source: Microsoft.  Kuhn says the city of West Des Moines introduced him to Microsoft officials looking to do something charitable in Iowa.

The facility will be located in Valley Junction in the same facility that houses “The Hall” and “The Beerhouse”, both of which are owned by Kuhn.