Please join us in congratulating Jeff and Abel, the newest graduates of Touch A Heart's foodservice internship program!
Jeff resides at HAHOKO, a transition home program for men, through which he learned about Touch A Heart. Meanwhile, Abel was referred to us by his pretrial officer.
Jeff said he's feeling accomplished and that the doors are opening for him now that he's completed our eight-week program. "The group of people who work here are a new family to me," he added.
When asked what he's most proud of, Jeff replied, "Going from a score of 48% to a score of 90% on my food safety test and passing out the food to the different families."
After his internship experience, Jeff is now able to better understand what his fellow team members are saying and take appropriate action. He's also learned the correct temperatures for cooking different meats.
"It feels great having completed the internship program as now I know I can continue progressing and getting better at what I enjoy doing," Abel said. "I'm most proud of being able to provide food for people in need."
Abel's biggest challenge throughout his journey has been communication. "I'm a very bashful person. I overcame this challenge by continuing to interact with the amazing team," he said.
Today, Abel is more open to new experiences. He never imagined himself cooking, but has found lots of enjoyment in it.
Jeff and Abel will continue their journeys with us as apprentices, and we're grateful to be able to provide them with more support and have the extra help in our employment social enterprises.
Thank you for helping to provide transformative, life-changing opportunities to Jeff, Abel, and many more people with barriers to employment. Together, we're transforming lives, one heart at a time.
Congratulations, Jeff & Abel!
