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Kitchen of Purpose Partners with Prosperolatino to Provide Increased Job Opportunities for Disadvantaged Communities

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 17:16:21 GMT

The announcement of a partnership between La Cocina VA and ProsperoLatino has generated much attention as these two organizations are on a mission to empower more members of the community for sustainable and long-term workforce and entrepreneurship development opportunities. La Cocina VA which initially focused on supporting and empowering the Latino community has now expanded its reach to help other Americans, other immigrants, and the members of our veteran community.

We are proud and excited about this partnership where both organizations are bringing expertise, knowledge, and resources to impact change at different levels working on direct services, advocacy, and providing ecosystems of resources created to serve the needs of our most vulnerable communities. Thanks to Jose Parra and Julio Lainez for your vision.

Read more about this partnership on ProsperoLatino’s website .

PDF: PL LCVA Partnership – ENGLISH Press Release

Kitchen of Purpose Obtains Guidestar Platinum Status

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 17:14:04 GMT

Kitchen of Purpose (formerly La Cocina VA) is a participant in Guidestar Platinum. The GuideStar Platinum program recognizes nonprofit organizations focused on measuring their progress and results in important new ways. It helps results-oriented nonprofits evaluate their impact beyond simple financial metrics, and pass on key information to funders and other stakeholders.

Learn more about Guidestar Platinum here.

Kitchen of Purpose Named "One Of The Best" Nonprofits by the Catalogue for Philanthropy

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 17:11:53 GMT

As it Celebrates its 15th Anniversary Serving the Greater Washington Region, the Catalogue for Philanthropy is Proud to Honor Kitchen of Purpose.

WASHINGTON, D.C. June 12th, 2017 . After a careful vetting process, the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington has selected Kitchen of Purpose to be part of the Class of 2017-18.

Kitchen of Purpose has undergone an extensive review process, and has met the Catalogue’s high standards. Potential donors can be confident that the nonprofits in the Catalogue are worthy of their support. “ Kitchen of Purpose ’s mission is to use the power of food as an agent of social and economic change generating workforce and economic development”

This year the Catalogue celebrates its 15th anniversary: since its inception it has raised $38 million for nonprofits in the region. It also offers trainings, neighborhood-based opportunities for collaboration, and a speakers series for individuals who want to learn about and engage with the needs, challenges, and accomplishments of our shared community.

This year, reviewers helped select 76 charities to feature in the print edition, 34 of which are new to the Catalogue this year. It also selected an additional 32 nonprofits to be re-featured on its website, and congratulated ten on growing beyond its $3million budgetary limit. The network now includes over 400 vetted nonprofits working in the arts, education, environment, human services, and international sectors throughout greater Washington. (International charities must be headquartered in the DC region.)

“People want to know where to give and they need trusted information. Based on our in-depth review, we believe that Kitchen of Purpose is one of the best community-based nonprofits in the region,” says Barbara Harman, founder and president of the Catalogue for Philanthropy.

“Our work empowers immigrants for culinary jobs and entrepreneurship, while promoting healthy food. The impact of our work represents a circle of sustainability that creates job opportunities, fosters small business development and provides healthier eating options for the most needed,” says Patricia Funegra, Founder and CEO of Kitchen of Purpose .

The Catalogue believes in the power of small nonprofits to spark big change. As the only locally-focused guide to giving, its goal is to create visibility for the best community-based charities, fuel their growth with philanthropic dollars, and create a movement for social good in the greater Washington region. The Catalogue charges no fees; it raises funds separately to support its work.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

For the nonprofit:

Patricia Funegra
patyfunegra@lacocinava.org
202-316-5614

For the Catalogue for Philanthropy:

Adam Shapiro
Adam.Shapiro@ASPR.bz
202-427-3603

Our Results

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 17:08:14 GMT

To date, we have served over 65 individuals, representing nine different counties in Virginia and Maryland.

95% overall completion rate. 100% completion rate in 2017
85% job placement
77% decrease in unemployment, compared to the previous status of clients
34% wage increase on average, among students previously employed part-time
$13.48/hour: Average wage

Employer Case Study, 2015-2016

We work with a portfolio of 23 industry corporations including hotels, restaurants, and catering companies. These partner companies host and pay our students for one-month internships and often hire our graduates.

In 2015, 21 students interned at Whole Foods stores in DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland
81% of interning students were offered jobs; 71% accepted job offers
$215,000: Economic contribution generated in salaries, positively impacting 12 local families

Kitchen of Purpose Is a Win-Win for Latino Immigrants and Restaurants

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 18:06:05 GMT

Kitchen of Purpose Students (formerly La Cocina VA) hone their skills while preparing meals for families in need. Washington City Paper, March 2017.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/food/young-hungry/article/20853639/la-cocina-va-is-a-winwin-for-latino-immigrants-and-restaurants

Serving Other Communities

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 18:03:01 GMT

On August 1st, 2016, as part of the expansion of our current services to other communities in need and in partnership with Fairfax County Department of Family Services Employment and Training, we began a pilot program offering 15-week of Culinary Job Training and Job Placement in English to women from other immigrant and minority communities. This group of women finished training the first week of December and is now placed in one-month paid internship. Results of the impact of this pilot will be evaluated upon graduation and available to share the first quarter of 2017. Women attending this program are from Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Iran, Jamaica, and the United States.

Boeing Company Selects Kitchen of Purpose for "Leading Change" Program

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 18:00:30 GMT

Link to PDF press release HERE

Our Plans for Expansions

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 17:56:26 GMT

Kitchen of Purpose (formerly La Cocina VA) plans to expand into a 5,000 square-foot facility with the capacity to: (

• Grow its current programs and services to serve more beneficiaries
• House a Social Food Incubator and social enterprise arm of the organization

At Kitchen of Purpose , we believe that by using the power of food we can generate opportunities for social and economic change. Unemployment, hunger, and lack of entrepreneurial opportunity are problems that we can start to solve in sustainable ways by creating innovative programs to help disadvantaged members of minority groups.

Our Northern Virginia Food Incubator will establish an infrastructure for local food production that will support small‐scale businesses and minority entrepreneurs with commercial kitchen space, access to capital, training, and business development opportunities. The facility will lower the barriers to entry for food-related businesses and will strengthen our community in Northern Virginia by creating a food system that propels local businesses, job, and culture.”

The social enterprise arm of the new facility will produce meals and catering services for public and private agencies. Income from the catering services will support current programs and enable Kitchen of Purpose to offer additional culinary training to students and job opportunities to graduates. The new facility will have the capacity to provide 30,000 healthy meals a year to people in need. Prepared by the students, these meals will go to public agencies, including schools and shelters.

Rep. Don Beyer Visits Kitchen of Purpose to Eat Crickets

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 16:53:30 GMT

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA.) visited Kitchen of Purpose to learn more about our Bilingual Culinary Training Program, cook with our students, and assist them in passing out meals to low-income families in the area. During his visit, the students treated the Representative who serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources to a honey-crusted cricket salad and gluten-free chocolate chip and cricket cookies.

Who knew that a cricket could be so delicious!

Patricia Funegra, CEO and Founder of Kitchen of Purpose, explained to Rep. Beyer and the students that, “Crickets add protein into people’s diets… and are also a sustainable food.” One of Kitchen of Purpose’s aims is to introduce healthy and sustainable food into the modern diet and this sometimes means thinking outside of the box! Kitchen of Purpose partners with a cricket farm in Austin, Texas that raises crickets solely for human consumption using organic practices and USDA certified organic custom feed.

Kitchen of Purpose to Be One of the Aspen Institute's Urban Innovators

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 16:47:32 GMT

The Aspen Institute, an education and policy studies organization based in Washington D.C., announced that Kitchen of Purpose (formerly La Cocina VA) will be one of the nine social enterprises accepted to participate in its Urban Innovation Accelerator Program within the Center for Urban Innovation . The program will provide Kitchen of Purpose with the resources, mentorship, connections, and brand development to enrich and improve upon its existing initiatives.

“This group of inspiring entrepreneurs are pioneering some of the most innovative models to build a more just world for residents living on the margins of National Capital Region and urban areas across America,” said Eric Lavin, founding manager of the Urban Innovation Lab. ‘We recruited a diverse set of organizations operating across various impact areas and employing different strategies. Our goal is two-fold: to help these entrepreneurs achieve their compelling visions for better urban life, and to allow these innovators to influence systems-level reform conversations.’ Lavin also said that, ‘The Aspen Institute is well positioned to support these urban innovators and elevate their causes given our robust networks of thought and practitioner leaders, a wealth of experience facilitating high impact peer-learning, and a unique ability to convene leaders to discuss and act on the critical issues of the day.”

The program will facilitate Kitchen of Purpose ’s kitchen incubator project to provide more free meals to low-income families in the D.C. metro area, train more unemployed Hispanics in the culinary arts, and continue to encourage nutrition and fight obesity. Read the press release by the Aspen Institute here.

Patricia Funegra Featured By Elevation DC As Innovation Leader

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 16:45:00 GMT

“Everywhere you look in D.C., there are #foodheroes. People helping D.C. residents grow more food, eat healthier, and care for the environment with their eating choices. That said, naming just fifty turned out to be impossible.”

Kitchen of Purpose Founder and CEO Patricia Funegra was featured in an article by Elevation DC as one of fifty innovative leaders under fifty that are transforming metro DC’s food system. The article highlighted Kitchen of Purpose ’s Bilingual Culinary Training Program that has so far allowed 18 students to graduate and obtain jobs in the food service industry and increase their knowledge of food safety and nutrition. The upcoming kitchen incubator project will expand on this and other programs to “create job opportunities and foster new small businesses”.

Whole Foods And Kitchen of Purpose Establish Partnership

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 12:24:21 GMT

Whole Foods Market has signed an agreement with Kitchen of Purpose (formerly La Cocina VA) to offer our graduate students full-time employment after their completion of a one-month internship at a Whole Foods location. Those granted the opportunity will apply their newly acquired skills in the culinary arts and English to continue their work towards a better future for themselves and their communities.

“Our Team Members truly are our ‘secret sauce’ when it comes to Whole Foods Market. We’re always on the lookout for the next great Team Member – someone who is passionate about food and making a difference in the world. Having them come from Kitchen of Purpose is a great way to do just that.” – Jane Mueller, Executive Coordinator of Operations for Whole Foods Market Mid-Atlantic region

Kitchen of Purpose currently has three graduates working in Whole Foods locations. Stay tuned for updates on their progress on Facebook and Twitter!

Read Whole Foods Market Press Release

Kitchen of Purpose Awarded Grant From Boeing Company

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 12:14:58 GMT

Kitchen of Purpose (formerly La Cocina VA) was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Company after an extremely competitive grant cycle. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Boeing and appreciate their willingness to support our effors for job creation.

Through their Community Engagement initiative, Boeing Company invests in, engages with, and advocates for community organizations involved in five main areas: education for children and youth, the environment, humanitarian relief, military and veteran engagement, and workforce skills and development. As a nonprofit devoted to providing culinary training to unemployed Hispanics, Kitchen of Purpose VA was the right investment. Gracias, friends at Boeing!

Learn more about Boeing's Community Engagement Initiative.

The Second Class Of Our Culinary Training Program Graduates

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 11:01:40 GMT

On Thursday, July 23rd, Kitchen of Purpose (formerly La Cocina VA) and friends celebrated the graduation of the Second Class of our Bilingual Culinary Training Program. Sandra Cerna from El Salvador, Gloria Cuevas from Peru, Gimena Jimenez from Argentina, Glaudia Dinora Marroquin from Guatemala, and Mabel Pinto from Bolivia received their diplomas on stage at Mount Olivet of the United Methodist Church in front of friends, family, and supporters of Kitchen of Purpose. They were each awarded a ServSafe Food Safety certification, as well as a certificate of completion in the culinary arts from Northern Virginia Community College.

This class has a 100% graduation rate and every student is graduating with a new job in the food service industry.

This class has a 100% graduation and job placement rate, with Sandra Cerna now working at a Whole Foods store in Alexandria, Gloria Cuevas at the Arlington Westin Gateway in a full time position and at a Whole Foods store in Arlington, Gimena at Levanese Taverna in Tyson’s Corner, Glaudia at a Whole Foods store in Vienna, and Mabel at Allspice Catering and Cafe in Arlington, Virginia.

Rosaelena O’Neil, a member of the board of directors at Northern Virginia Community College, served as Master of Ceremonies. The Key Note speaker was Walter Tejada, Vice-Chair of Arlington County Board and remarks were made by Jane Mueller from Whole Foods and Diana Katz from the Giving Circle of Hope. Each spoke about their admiration and high hopes for the graduating students and their reasons for support Kitchen of Purpose.

Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed delicious food at the reception catered by the current third class of our Bilingual Culinary Training Program. Guided by Chef Alberto Vega Ruiz, the current students prepared a wide variety of food that the guests greatly enjoyed and ate fast.

Senator Tim Kaine Visits Hispanic Job Training Program In Arlington

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 11:32:38 GMT

“Sen. Tim Kain (D-Va.) visited Kitchen of Purpose (formerly La Cocina VA) on April 7th, a nonprofit program that gives Hispanic immigrants bilingual, culinary job training in the basement of an Arlington church.”

Below Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, Kaine – who speaks fluent Spanish after spending a year in Honduras before entering politics – met with the programs’ leaders and participants, eager to learn more about the benefits it provides.”