Organized by America's Second Harvest affiliates, programs across the country train unemployed people in food rescue and meal preparation that are in turn, served to people in need.
Courses are taught by professional chefs and include life-skills and job-readiness
training, as well as placement in career-track positions
in the food service industry. Sodexho not only supports America's
Second Harvest's efforts and funds individual Community Kitchens
with grants, we also hire many of the program's qualified
graduates.
“I’ve worked many different places and always had a job, but in 1998, I hit rock bottom. I became homeless. Then I learned about the culinary arts training program at DC Central Kitchen, which is supported by the Sodexho Foundation… The goal of the program is to train unemployed and homeless adults for careers in the food service industry…
I completed the program and was hired by Sodexho. I am now an executive chef for the DC Central Kitchen and have completed my Associates degree in culinary arts. I know sometimes when you donate money to an organization, you probably wonder if you’re really doing any good.
I am living proof that the money donated thorough the Sodexho Foundation
is making a real difference in the lives of many people.” — Chef
Jerald Thomas
“The program has changed my home situation a lot because now
I know I have more options. I’m not just looking for a job, I’m looking for a career.” –Shakira
Hill, New Sodexho Employee
“It’s a good feeling that I actually helped
someone, trained them, and then actually put them out there
in the job field. You just defeated three things: you
fed the homeless, you trained somebody, you gave them a
job. You can’t ask for more.” -Reggie Sanford,
Production Manager, Sodexho
