Oceanside CA— Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside (BGCO) has received a $15,000 grant from The Oceanside Charitable Foundation, an affiliate of The San Diego Foundation, to support their Culinary Arts & Workforce Development Program.
BGCO recently finished construction on their Center for Innovation, which includes a Culinary Arts Teaching Kitchen. The commercial kitchen was built in response to the food insecurity crisis in Oceanside as well as Oceanside’s rapidly expanding culinary and hospitality industries.
Through the Culinary Arts & Workforce Development Program, BGCO will provide cooking and hospitality classes to teens in Oceanside. Teens will learn about kitchen safety, nutrition and basic cooking skills. In addition, guest chefs will visit the Club to talk about their career trajectories, answering any questions teens might have about working in the restaurant industry.
At the conclusion of the program, BGCO will provide a resume workshop and mock interviews to help youth become job-ready. BGCO will then connect youth with local businesses, fulfilling Oceanside’s need for qualified restaurant and hospitality workers and helping teens secure their very first job. Participants will also receive wrap-around support to ensure they stay in school and make it to the graduation finish line.
“We are honored to be selected by the Oceanside Charitable Foundation and are so grateful for their support,” said Jodi Diamond, CEO. “This grant will allow us to purchase much needed kitchen equipment, allowing teens to learn lifelong cooking skills and obtain jobs right here in Oceanside.”
If you are a local business who would like to lead a cooking demonstration and/or talk to BGCO teens about the restaurant/hospitality industry, please contact Rhonda Guaderrama at rguaderrama@BGCOceanside.org, call (760) 433-8920, and visit our website BGCOceanside.org or Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/BGCOside .