Filed under: Culanthropy
Below is a letter we sent to our friends and colleagues in the Gulf Coast:
Dear Friends of the Gulf Coast,
As the oil spill crisis continues to unfold, I wanted to let you know that you have been on the minds of the CulinaryCorps volunteers you have so kindly embraced over the years. Many have asked how they can help, if their skills can be of any use as the gravity of the situation settles into our consciousness. It is clear that you are all in our thoughts and prayers as is your wetlands, your wildlife, your communities and your livelihoods.
And while we may not be of use on the front-lines of the clean-up effort, we wanted to let you know that CulinaryCorps will be making a donation to OxFam America to help provide assistance to those who require it in both the short and long term. While we fully realize this is just a very small action for such an enormous heartache, we hope to continue to support the cleanup efforts in any way we can.
Time has proven that when hardship strikes, the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast rise as inspirations to us all. Here is to your renewal of strength and courage so you may rise again. We have no doubt you will.
With love and eternal support,
Christine
Here are a few of the responses we received. Wise and poignant words that we should all heed:
“Thank you so very much for your generosity in thought and deed. Here in Pass Christian, there are significant preparedness measures being executed should the oil reach us. Berms on the beaches, booms at strategic locations at entrance to bayous, constant surveillance of tides and currents are measures that give us hope….while we worry. It is our hope at the Boys and Girls Club, that we may provide a stable environment for our children who live in an unstable world. Your compassion is very much appreciated.”
“Unfortunately here we go again…….(only this disaster is in slow motion). Please spread the word to everyone who works in kitchens or eats food (everyone) that Louisiana seafood is still SAFE TO EAT and still offers the best shrimp, oysters, crabs, and fish in the United States – best shrimp and oysters in the world. It is very important that this word be spread because our fishermen will have a tougher time surviving the level of misinformation out there than the oil spill itself!”
“Please tell people to call their representatives and demand that they be more supportive of us and place pressure on them to get the oil leak plugged. It’s been a month and a half now, and the support from Washington has been as non-existent as it was during Katrina. Very sad.”
“If you have about 15 minutes there is a video of a local radio host that is very worth your while. He can explain, better than I, what’s going on in the gulf and how it will impact the nation I wish everyone could see this: http://www.wwl.com/pages/7155465.php”
“Thanks so much for your kind words. It really is a very sad state of affairs in our precious Gulf right now. I am just holding out for a minor miracle and cling to the hope that BP figures something out SOON.”
We cannot risk losing these precious foodways…AGAIN! What can YOU do to help support the Gulf Coast? Maybe it is a donation to Oxfam America, The National Wildlife Foundation, The White Boot Brigade or the Save Our Coast Foundation?
Maybe it’s hosting a restaurant fundraiser in your own community like Leslie B, a 2008 CulinaryCorps alum?
Or maybe it’s scheduling a last-minute getaway to New Orleans to take part in the Second Annual Oyster Festival, spearheaded by the venerable P&J Oyster?
Whatever you do, remember the slogan of Southern food activist Poppy Tooker: “Eat It to Save It”. These words have never rang more true than right here, right now.
Filed under: Good Food in Action
This week’s pick for our “Good Food in Action” post:
Organization/Program: Chefs Move to Schools
Volunteer Opportunity: Volunteer Chef
Location: Nationwide
Start Date: Recruiting Now!
End Date: Open
Time Commitment: Flexible
Organization Overview:
As part of her effort to turn policies into practical solutions for America’s families, Mrs. Obama is calling on chefs to get involved by adopting a school and working with teachers, parents and school nutrition professionals and administrators to help educate kids about food and nutrition. By creating healthy dishes that taste good, chefs have a unique ability to deliver these messages in a fun and appealing way to the larger audience, particularly children.
Position Overview:
The “Chefs Move to Schools” program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will pair chefs with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools’ dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices. With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever.
To Sign Up As a Chef: Click HERE
To Sign Up As a School: Click HERE
Filed under: Good Food in Action
This week’s pick for our “Good Food in Action” post:
Organization/Program: Boys Hope Girls Hope
Volunteer Opportunity: Volunteer Chef
Location: San Francisco, CA
Start Date: Recruiting Now!
End Date: October 2010
Time Commitment: Flexible
Organization Overview:
Many factors beyond a child’s control can combine to strangle his or her promise and potential and threaten that child’s future. Neighborhoods shattered by crime and poverty. Families broken by economic hardship, death, and divorce. Overcrowded and underperforming schools.
Boys Hope Girls Hope believes in children. We believe in their ability to overcome their circumstances. We believe in their ability to become more than they ever dreamed of becoming. And we believe that they can then go on to give hope to countless others.
By providing children with arms-around care, safe homes and environments, a first-class education, opportunities to learn more about themselves and the world, and academic, financial, and spiritual support through college, Boys Hope Girls Hope empowers children to realize the potential that is within them.
We set high standards and give our scholars everything they will need to meet those standards. In doing so, we make our communities, and our world, a better place.
Position Overview:
Boys Hope Girls Hope of San Francisco is looking for someone to volunteer their time and talent to prepare meals for ten active teenage boys. Our kitchen is well equipped and our pantries are full; our need is for someone to dedicate the time and energy to put together a meal so our Residential Counselors can focus on the scholars. This volunteer opportunity can be whatever you would like to make of it. If you are available to help out once a month, or a few times a week we will gratefully love the assistance. Having experience preparing meals for large groups would be a valuable skill.
Contact: Contact Noel (nvogel@bhgh.org) or call (415) 291-8166
Filed under: Good Food in Action
This week’s pick for our “Good Food in Action” post:
Organization/Program: Rwanda Hospitality Institute (in partnership with Heaven Restaurant)
Volunteer Opportunity: Hospitality Program Coordinator
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Start Date: Recruiting Now!
End Date: 1-year From Start Date
Length: 1 Year
Website Overview of Position: Website currently not available
Organization Overview:
Rwanda Hospitality Institute is Rwanda’s first “live” vocational training center for customer service, culinary arts and hospitality management. Rwanda Hospitality Institute will deliver a series of workshops as well as ongoing, on-site practical training that benefits the entire tourism sector in Rwanda.
Short courses will provide vocational and technical skills and prepare Rwandans to work in the hospitality and tourism industry. The Director of Rwanda Hospitality Institute is working closely with the Rwanda Hotel and Restaurant Association, Ministry of Education and the Workforce Development Authority to become an accredited vocational training center.
We are looking for a passionate and energetic candidate who thrives in a
dynamic start up environment. Rwanda’s Hospitality Institute Coordinator is critical to ensuring that the newly created onsite hospitality vocational training center will produce qualified and skilled applicants for the hospitality sector in Rwanda. He/she will develop and recruit experienced trainers to teach the first year of hospitality short courses. A passion for education and hospitality vocational training is essential.
Position Overview:
• Assist the program director in planning, development and implementation of the first year of practical training courses.
• The Coordinator will identify the necessary objectives of each course; develop all of the content; and teach or recruit expert trainers to teach each course.
• Work closely with the Rwanda Hotel and Restaurant Association, Ministry of Education and Workforce Development Authority to develop practical training that complements existing curricula from top hospitality schools in Rwanda.
• Identify international best practices and curriculum models for accreditation.
• Determine scheduling and content of courses and assist in development of hospitality program budget and school fee structure.
• Organize guest speakers and invite experts in the hospitality field to co-teach
• Work with the business community to ensure that curriculum development is in alignment with the training needs of the private sector.
The ideal candidate should have the following skills, experience and knowledge:
• Commitment to Rwanda Hospitality Institute’s vision, mission and values
• Proven leadership abilities, a high level of initiative, strong interpersonal skills, creative and flexible problem solving skills.
• Minimum 3 years experience teaching and working in the hospitality industry
• Bachelor’s/College Degree Hospitality/Tourism/Hotel and Restaurant Management is preferred
• Strong networks within the Rwandan and East African hospitality industry
• Exposure to the international hospitality industry and vocational training field
• Excitement and a positive attitude about working in a dynamic start-up environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; and planning and organizational skills required
• Strong analytical skills, independent judgment, ability to multi-task, comfortable under pressure and able to meet deadlines while retaining a sense of humor
• Ability to communicate ideas across cultural and language barriers; fluency in English is mandatory. French proficiency is also preferred.
• Willingness to commit to a minimum of 1 year
• Previous international exposure, especially in Africa
The Hospitality Institute Coordinator will report to the Director of the Rwanda Hospitality Institute in Kigali.
Contact: Submit resume, cover letter, and references to Alissa Ruxin at alissaruxin@gmail.com. Include “Hospitality Institute Coordinator” in subject line. Contact Alissa directly for questions about requirements, salary and benefits.
Filed under: Good Food in Action
This week’s pick for our “Good Food in Action” post:
Organization/Program: Brainfood
Volunteer Opportunity: Guest Chef for High School After School Cooking Program
Location: Washington, DC
Start Date: Ongoing
End Date: Ongoing
Length: Various (minimum 1 day)
Website Overview of Position: Click HERE
Overview:
Are you a local chef or food expert looking to work with youth?
Brainfood is a non-profit youth development organization in Washington, DC. Using food as a tool, Brainfood builds life skills and promotes healthy living in a fun and safe environment. Local high school students participate in our programs either twice a week after school or every day for six weeks during the summer.
Activities include hands-on cooking classes, lectures, field trips and community service projects. Brainfood graduates are equipped with practical cooking skills, an introduction to the food industry, a framework for nutritious eating, and leadership experience that prepares them to make a difference in their community.
Brainfood welcomes guest chefs and guest speakers into our kitchens to lead a class about a topic or food they love. Guest chefs provide Brainfood participants the chance to learn from an expert who is working in the food or nutrition industry. Some of the topics that guest chefs have taught our participants include basic knife skills, how to make risotto, cake decorating, and ways to cook healthy alternatives to favorite holiday foods. Guest chefs typically bring in some or all of the special ingredients they will be working with.
Guest chefs and guest speakers are needed for both the Brainfood After School program (Monday – Thursday, 4:00pm – 6:30pm) and the Brainfood Summer Institute (Monday – Friday, 1:00pm – 4:00pm).
Contact: E-mai Carina with your name, email address, and telephone number and possible topics that you would be interested in teaching our youth: scarina@brain-food.org
Filed under: Good Food in Action
This week’s pick for our “Good Food in Action” post:
Organization/Program: Continental Divide Trail Alliance
Volunteer Opportunity: CDTA Crew Chef
Location: Various, Continental Divide Trail, USA
Start Date: April 2010
End Date: October 2010
Training: July 3, 2010 Leadville, CO $15 per person
Length: Various (minimum 5 days)
Website Overview of Position: Click HERE
Overview:
Would you like to lend a hand with a spatula rather than a shovel? Are you interested in cooking in the wilderness to help feed trail building volunteers? If so, then this program is for you! We invite you to become a Volunteer Crew Chef or Sous Chef on themost significant trail system in the world – the Continental Divide Trail.From April through October the Continental Divide Trail Alliance brings volunteers together from all over the country to build, maintain and improve theCDT. A CDTA Crew Chef helps to provide nutritional meals to enhance the volunteers’ experience of working on the trail.
As a CDTA Crew Chef you choose the menu and do the planning that you feel comfortable with, including shopping. Each volunteer project is very unique so it is important to take into account the length of the project, number of meals, number of volunteers, camping facilities, accessibility and environment.
Contact: Stephanie Friday: stephanie@cdtrail.org
Filed under: Good Food in Action
This week’s pick for our “Good Food in Action” post – our newest addition to the CulinaryCorps blog highlighting global culanthropy projects that are currently seeking qualified volunteers.
Organization/Program: Coney Island Lighthouse Mission
Volunteer Opportunity: Friday Night Soup Kitchen Chef
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Start Date: Rolling
End Date: Rolling
Website: Click HERE
Overview:
The Coney Island Lighthouse Mission is dedicated to fighting hunger and poverty in our community through the many services we provide to those in need.
We are in need of a dedicated volunteer who will be able to cook for our Friday night Soup Kitchen. Duties include cooking, setup, and cleanup. Cooking starts in the morning before the 3pm After-School program and continues at 5pm. Around 5pm, the chef and volunteers set up the Lighthouse Mission for dinner. Dinner begins at 6:30pm and usually ends at 8:30pm. The chef is expected to supervise volunteers.
Contact: Those interested, please email us at ConeyLighthouse@aol.com or call us at 718-415-1170 Monday through Friday between 11am-5pm.
Filed under: Good Food in Action
Introducing “Good Food in Action” – our newest addition to the CulinaryCorps blog highlighting global culanthropy projects that are currently seeking qualified volunteers.
Organization/Program: Master Food Volunteers at Kansas State
Volunteer Opportunity: Culinary Instructor
Location: Kansas, USA
Start Date: Rolling
End Date: Rolling
Website: Click HERE
Overview:
The Kansas Master Food Volunteer (MFV) Program provides a foundation of knowledge to volunteers in the subject areas of food safety, food science, food preparation, and food preservation. The Extension Master Food Volunteer Program allows people with interests in food, cooking, and nutrition to take their expertise to a higher level while developing new avenues for helping in the community. The Master Food Volunteer Program is patterned after the successful Master Gardener Program.
Contact: If you live Kansas, check to see if your county is listed, and contact your appropriate agent. For general information, call (785)532-1673.
Filed under: Puerto Rico February 2010
During the trip, our daily updates focused on the food we created during our week- long stay on La Isla Encanta. A CulinaryCorps trip, however, is a two-way street allowing our volunteer chefs to share their food with the community, and the community to share their food with us. Weaved in throughout the week are opportunities to immerse ourselves in the cuisine of the people we have come to assist, and in doing so, understand a major source of history, identity and pride. Puerto Rico proved to be a wonderful culinary adventure all week, and we wanted to capture some of our experiences in this journal.
Descriptions and pictures after the jump:
