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| Submitted by
Kelley barrett on
02/26/2001 |
| Critical to any organization
that wants to be successful is strategic planning. When we
started the center and kitchen much of it was the dream of two
people. This worked for the first year, but what then? We had to
gather the troops and do some hard core planning. Many of our
board members were hauled to the first planning, kicking and
screaming. They didd'nt understand the reason for the process.
Once we got into it though, it became really clear to all that
not only was this necessary but it was critical to our future.
If I could reccomend anything to a new non profit it would be...
invest the money and time to hire a strategic planning
consultant who can walk you through your first sessions. If you
don't have a budget for it, look for grant funding ( YES, some
philanthropic entities are beginning to fund strategic
planning.) Make sure you read about it before hand... you can
get information on strategic planning from the National Center
for Non Profit Boards. The second thing that is important is
collaboration... Working with agencies in your community in
cooperation, collaborating on potential funding, resources, and
ideas. In the old days non profits seemed to compete against one
another. Now funders want to see agencies pooling their
resources and working together efficently and cost effectivley.
In a way that is really what Kitchens INC is all about. and that
spirit needs to be carried to all aspects of your organization.
In our community we swap surplus food, clothing, office
materials and information. We even look out for one another when
information on funding comes availible that would help a
particular agency ... we share. |
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| Submitted by
Jane Tally on 09/14/2000 |
| One lesson we learned after
our first two classes: Celebrating graduation after 12 weeks of
on site training makes the graduation the focal point rather
than job retention. We now have the graduation ceremony after
the 12th week of the internship. We believe that will be an
incentive to stay on the job and have a work history
established. I would like to know how other programs are
handling this. |
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| Submitted by
Len Mitchell - Wallace Academy on 10/11/2002 |
Leave the Door Open
I will pass along the sage advice given to me by Robert Egger
when I started this excellent adventure; " no matter how many
times a student quits the program or is absent, always leave the
door open for them to return, and provide as many chances as it
will take to help them finish" This advice has come in handy. I
found out when a student who was having that exact experience
spoke at graduation and reported that this was the key
difference for him. We gave him chances when others had given up
on him. The fact that we believed in him helped him believe in
himself, graduate, and SUSTAIN gainful employment. He now earns
$11 per hour. |
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| Submitted by
Linda CCSC on 10/11/2002 |
| It was a huge success and
since it was a fundraiser and not catering, the students did the
work. The chance to get out in public and see folks love their
food is always such a wonderful experience for the students.
Also invite as many guests chefs and speakers in as you can. We
are encouraging alumni to come and do demos. You will be
surprised at how a lesson, even as simple as biscuit making
,will make such an impression on the students especially when
peppered with experience and enourage from someone "who has been
there." I'll echo Len's advice and say never give up, never give
up, never give up. Our business is second chances after all. |
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| Submitted by
Robert Egger on
10/18/2000 |
| I thought I had covered ever
angle, but I was unprepared for the extent of substance abuse
amongst the clients. We administered stipends ($50 per week) on
Fridays for the first year or so, and were confused when
employers would call to semi-complain that their recent hire had
a drug problem. How did it happen? They were always on time,
etc.. When we moved stipend day to Monday, we could easily spot
those who were using because they would be late or no-shows on
Tuesday. Now we drug screen, in addition to the Monday trick,
and we've come along way in making sure that grads are ready to
hit the ground running. Secondly, and this covers many items,
we've really instituted a harder intake procedure, to ensure
that the men and women who get into the program are truly ready
for the rigors and responsibilities of the class. This includes
reading and math skills, as we found that many men and women who
cannot read can get by without you knowing. Third, I would have
spent more time really projecting out where our meals were
going. We got wrapped up in the more-is-better trap instead of
targeting where the meals we prepared were going. Now we look to
serve/partner with agencies we feel are in sync with us...that
is, they're really committed to using the food to kick some ass.
We have less recipient agencies than most programs, but we know
what they're doing with the food and we feel we're having a
greater impact. Fourth, I would not be so hot to get graduates
jobs at the most high profile restaurants in town. I was trying
to push them hard to make a larger point to the community. But
that point is better made when men and women stay employed. For
many, the high profile place contains pressures or distractions.
We've really gone after the steady jobs...the Mon.-Fri., 9-5
jobs that provide stability. I guess this goes back to the "case
management" side of the biz. You will need someone who can help
trainees identify where they will thrive. Fifth, and most
important, hunger isn't about food. These kitchens can crank out
the food, but ultimately, the stereotypes are the enemy. Use
your kitchen to bring as many people in so they see how hard the
trainees work, and see how smart you are using your resources.
Make them think differently. |
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| Submitted by
Jane KCCK on 10/22/2001 |
| It's been over a year since I
provided input into this topic, so I think there are several
other things I wish I had known before starting Culinary
Cornerstones. 1. You can over-teach! Students need time to
absorb the vast amount of information they receive and can
prioritize information based on their own dream jobs and
abilities. 2. Life skills (we call personal and professional
development) are more important than the finest culinary skills.
3. Our students have unbelieveable barriers! It is no wonder
they are in the life position they are in and 12 weeks is not
going to solve all these issues. 4. We need a staff person
trained in social services to identify "red flags" before they
get out of hand and to counsel. 5. Recruiting is difficult! It
takes a lot of time. 6. A good and comprehensive assessment tool
is a requirement. 7. Check police reports and have people start
to take care of warrents and other issues early. 8. Drug test 9.
Analyse and evaluate you program and outcomes and don't be
afraid to make changes! 10. "Don't bite off more that you can
chew!" We started the housing program, well before we had the
capacity to take on that big of leap. It was very labor
intensive and expensive, even with a grant. Also, our partners
changed the rules in mid-stream, making most of our graduates
ineligible. 11. Do have a fundraising/resource development plan
and adhere to it. 12. In your business plan, do an environmental
analysis and develop contingency plans. Act vs. react!! Be
proactive. 13. Develop community alliances to shore up you areas
of need or weaknesses. Be careful as to who is running the
organization, however! 14. Have faith and patience and don't
give up. There is a GOD! When we are in the greatest need, what
we need appears. It's really miraculous. 15. And don't give up
on your students. As Lindal Vogler so aptly put it, "We are in
the second chance business!" |
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| Submitted by
LeRoy on
12/13/2000 |
| Life skills, life skills, life
skills, and case management: Employers say over and over again,
"we can teach them what they will need to create our
meals.....what we can't teach is how to show up every day, on
time. They need to come on their first day with that ability".
Our case management team spends so much time, day after day,
helping students figure out back-up plans for their back-up
plans, and emergency plans to back up those back-up plans. Life
skills pushes problem-solving. When you find yourself in a
difficult situation, how do you figure out what options you
have, how do you figure out which option to choose. What do you
do when your personal/home life starts to affect your work and
vice versa. These are skills that most of us learned growing up;
it's hard to think about how to teach it to someone who is 30
years old and has never gotten those skills. We do as much as is
humanly possible in our 14 weeks, and still most of the students
that can't keep jobs haven't learned those skills. In terms of
Kid's Cafes, we proposed the idea to Boys and Girls Clubs as a
free service. as they are already understaffed and overworked,
the BGC's took our services without thinking they might have to
do us a few favors in return. We expected that they would be
more than willing to host recognition dinners and media events
for our sponsors, or get kids to help make thank-you cards for
donors. We met resistance, mostly because the BGC directors had
gotten services string-free for so long and did not expect to
have to actually help us. Now we have contracts (I know, sounds
way too formal) with the Clubs, and explain to them from the
beginning that we will be asking them in the future to help us
out. |
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| Submitted by
linda vogler on 12/14/2000 |
1. Board relationships, my
role, their role
2. How hard it is to get students
3. Don't take things too personally (Actually people have been
telling me this all my life, I need to hear it on a daily basis
these days!!) |
