Thanks to CCC’s strong partnership with the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, 12 newcomers from CCC’s refugee resettlement program in Newport News are cooking their way to self-sufficiency!
The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank’s Culinary Training Program helps individuals experiencing financial hardship gain essential skills and experience for employment in the food service industry.
“We were excited to refer 12 refugee clients from Afghanistan, the Congo, and Cameroon to the program this past year,” said Kristen Larcher, CCC’s refugee and immigration services director. “Many participants have large families, and their goal was to find stable employment to financially support their households.”
The students worked extremely hard to complete this intensive program. Despite the long working hours and language barriers, all CCC participants graduated and received their food handler certifications. A few also received perfect attendance and leadership awards recognizing their hard work.
CCC resettlement staff are now busy helping these new food service professionals put their skills to use in new jobs.
“This program is so impactful,” said Larcher. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank to empower more refugee newcomers to achieve their employment goals”
To learn more about the Foodbank’s Culinary Training Program, visit hrfoodbank.org.
Read more about all the ways CCC supports refugee newcomers here.
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