After what felt like a year and a half of nothing, Nate knew he needed to do something. He had dreams of going to culinary school but knew he’d have to work for years at a fast-food restaurant to afford even one class. That’s when he learned about Second Harvest Food Bank’s no-cost Culinary Training Program. The moment I heard about the program it felt like hope,” recalls … [Read more...] about Transforming Lives: Nate’s Story
Culinary Training Program
Celebrate Culinary Training Students’ Success
19 students are preparing to graduate from Second Harvest's Culinary Training Program in June. You're invited to be a part of this pivotal moment. With 16 weeks of learning culinary training and life skills under their belts, we want to send them off with a big celebration. We're looking for 300 supporters to send a congratulatory message that we can share with the … [Read more...] about Celebrate Culinary Training Students’ Success
Charting a New Path, Thanks to You
Elvin and his wife moved to Orlando to be with their college-age son with special needs. Elvin hoped to transfer from one hotel to another, but then the pandemic wiped out his plan. “Unemployment is not a job. I want a real job,” Elvin explained. Like so many thousands of hospitality workers in Central Florida, Elvin faced a choice: wait out the pandemic or find something … [Read more...] about Charting a New Path, Thanks to You
P is for Persistence.
It took three tries for Paul to complete Second Harvest’s Culinary Training Program. “For me, the saying ‘third time’s a charm’ couldn’t be truer,” said Paul. When he first started the program, he couldn’t focus. The pandemic only made things worse. He didn’t have any income and transportation was a challenge. Helping his mom with her catering business gave him the … [Read more...] about P is for Persistence.
Time to Make a Change
“I was finally ready to make a change,” says LeMoris as he recalls what led him to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s Culinary Training Program. He spent much of his adult life working for a lawn care service, but cooking is in his blood. His grandfather ran a smokehouse and his father cooked in the Air Force. “From the moment I walked in the door at Second … [Read more...] about Time to Make a Change
