Kitchens for Good is a sustainability-oriented San Diego nonprofit dedicated to making a positive impact on our economy, society, and environment. The heartbeat of the organization is our three tuition-free Apprenticeship Programs – Culinary, Baking, and Foodservice Manager – which help individuals facing barriers to employment gain the skills needed to create sustainable careers. The program consists of ~3 months technical and life skills training and career coaching on our campus in Linda Vista, followed by ~17 months of paid on-the-job training with one of our Employer Partners. In addition to acquiring dozens of requisite core competencies, Apprentices practice environmental stewardship with root-to-stem/nose-to-tail (whole ingredient) cooking practices, reducing use of plastics, and composting. To remove obstacles which might impact Apprentices’ attendance during the skills training, they receive weekly stipends to help cover costs while they are in class, transportation support, breakfast and lunch, and an unending supply of TLC. Holistic support services are available to Apprentices for the duration of the 20-month program. Our new social enterprise WORKS is a staffing solution which facilitates Apprentices’ transitions to their on-the-job training by providing comprehensive Human Resources as needed and significantly reducing onboarding costs for our Employer Partners. Our kitchenware resale SHOP accepts gently used kitchenware, cookware, dinnerware, and home décor items and resells them. Inventory changes daily, offering an eclectic mix of everyday staples, high end brand names, unique one-of-a-kind items, vintage treasures, and more – all at unbeatable prices! Proceeds from all sales go to support Kitchens for Good programs. Unwanted items are kept out of landfills and items that have been loved too much for us to resell find other homes, are repurposed, or recycled. We also work with a number of community partners to help educate San Diego on ways to reduce organic waste on an ongoing basis.
