“The Job Corps students have been a godsend,” advised Roxy Ramirez, Program Coordinator at Catholic Charities Food Resource Center on University Avenue in San Diego.  “Once a month they assist here and at our other location in downtown San Diego.  They help unload food that is delivered to us from the San Diego Food Bank and then help organize it.  The students then prepare packages for people in our community who need our help. There is a great need for food in our community,” Ms. Ramirez continued, “and without Job Corps’ help my job would be a lot more difficult.”

For the past two years, hundreds of San Diego Job Corp’s Culinary Arts students have been assisting the Food Resource Center.  “We were approached by Catholic Charities and asked to assist,” advised Chef Richard Siegiel, one of Job Corps’ Culinary Arts instructors.  “Besides the classroom training our students receive on center, the many community service projects we’re involved in is a big part of their training. Our students receive a free education at Job Corps, and work at organizations like Catholic Charities provides a great opportunity for them to give back to the community.”

Culinary Arts student Vikki Zavala has been helping at the Food Resource Center for the past year.  She will be graduating this fall from Job Corps and will continue her culinary arts education at Colorado Mountain College in Vail, Colorado.  Ms. Zavala plans to open a restaurant in Texas when she finishes her education.  “I like coming here,” she stated. “I like the hands-on part of it and knowing that all of us are helping others.”

“As a new employee at Job Corps, it’s gratifying to see how motivated are students are to help others,” advised Chef Howard Merrick, who teaches the Culinary Arts class with Chef Siegiel, and works with students at the Catholic Charities downtown location.  “It is quite evident that our students have a sense of satisfaction for what they’re doing here. “