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
From our family to yours.
Thank you for being part of our food bank family. Because of you, 250,000 meals are distributed today and every day across Central Florida. Please take a moment to watch this special thank you video, made just for you. Thank you for being a hero for families, kids and seniors experiencing hunger in Central Florida. Here are just a few ways you can support our shared … [Read more...] about From our family to yours.
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.