New workforce kitchen program expands job training for ECHO clients
Culinary training program aims to boost local employment opportunities
– Must! Charities has launched a $403,000 workforce development initiative in partnership with El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO). The ECHO Workforce Development Kitchen Program aims to provide culinary training and create a sustainable social enterprise venture that will generate revenue and employment opportunities for individuals. The program will focus on critical skills in culinary service and create pathways for future employment while contributing to the local economy.
The California Employment Development Department projects a 37% increase in the leisure and hospitality workforce in San Luis Obispo County by 2030, with restaurant cooks expected to have the most job openings and the second highest pay. This demand underscores the need for skilled labor in the industry.
“Expanding an already successful program to incorporate job training, skills management, and a social enterprise venture while also meeting a critical community job force need is a win-win,” said Becky Gray, executive director of Must! Charities. “ECHO continues to demonstrate a tenacious desire to help individuals lift themselves out of homelessness. We are honored to partner with ECHO on such a paramount economic and social project.”
The Workforce Development Kitchen program will expand ECHO’s impact by creating an employment pathway aimed at stability and future opportunities for clients across various industries. It will also establish a management role to oversee meal programs, coordinate volunteers, and support client workforce training. Additionally, the program aims to generate income and raise awareness of ECHO’s mission by selling products in the local market.
“Expanding the Workforce Development Kitchen Program has been a constant goal in our strategic plan,” said Wendy Lewis, CEO of El Camino Homeless Organization. “This project is so much more than just creating a comprehensive food training program – it is about strengthening our capacity to further our mission and empower people to make positive change. The long-term impacts are huge and we are thrilled to see the project come to fruition.”
For more information on Must! Charities’ fundraising efforts, visit mustcharities.org or call (805) 226-5788.
