TOUCH A HEART NEWSLETTER | APRIL 2, 2025 Growth, Gratitude & New Beginnings Celebrating the graduation of our foodservice interns! Standing: Volunteers Bob and Nancy, Chef-Trainer Curtis, Executive Director Robin, and Director of Operations & Training Colin. Seated: Graduates Joseph W., Leland, Joseph S. (inset), Phillip, and Raymar. Last Friday, we celebrated the graduation of our first cohort of foodservice interns for 2025—and the first group to complete their training under Chef-Trainer Curtis. It was a joyful day at Kalihi Union Church (KUC), filled with reflection, gratitude, and hope. Graduates Phillip, Leland, Joseph W., Raymar, and Joseph S. worked hard over the past eight weeks, gaining not only kitchen skills but also personal growth, confidence, and teamwork. The celebration included a slideshow, a video, heartfelt prayers led by KUC Pastor Kendal, a special performance by the KUC preschoolers, moving speeches, and a graduation ceremony. Each graduate shared how the program touched their lives. Phillip reflected, "I've become a better person—more humble and skilled, but also more compassionate." Leland thanked our staff, his parents, and the team at HAHOKO for giving him a second chance. Joseph W. spoke about the bonds they built: "When we first came in, we really didn't know each other. Now, I feel like we're brothers." Joseph S., who couldn't attend, was recognized by his fellow graduates for the positive change they saw in him, and Raymar was acknowledged for consistently stepping up and being dependable in the kitchen. Apprentice Taz, a recent graduate, shared words of encouragement, while guest speaker Te'o F., Director of Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, spoke about the importance of safe spaces, trust, and community, encouraging our graduates to keep growing and give back. As is tradition, our graduates and staff prepared lunch for everyone in attendance, featuring beef luau, braised shoyu pork, chicken parmesan with pasta, sushi, vegetable summer rolls, and spring salad—capped off with banana foster cream puffs and honey panna cotta for dessert. Each graduation reminds us that it's the collective support of our community, partners, and donors like you that makes this possible. Please join us in congratulating our graduates and wishing them the very best in their next chapter. ‘Ohana Meals Pickup every Wednesday at: * Kalihi Union Church from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. * Pearl City Community Church from 2 to 3:30 p.m. We recommend preordering by Sunday. By placing your orders early, we're able to plan and increase production as needed. Mahalo for your support and understanding! For customer service, contact info@touchahearthawaii.org (mailto:info@touchahearthawaii.org) or (808) 763-7477. ____ What's On the Menu Next week's menu features a mix of new and returning favorites! We're bringing back Chicken Cutlet, this time with Chef Curtis's special touch. New to the lineup are Beef Tomato and Baked Pollock Fish. Our a la carte option, Eggplant Parmesan, is always a customer favorite. And to round out your meal, we're serving two popular desserts: Chocolate Haupia Square and Mixed Fruit Almond Float. Don't miss out on this delicious lineup! Make a Difference with Your Order! Did you know that nearly 1 in 3 households in Hawai‘i struggle with hunger? You can help fight food insecurity by adding a donation to your order. Simply select "Donate A Meal Set," "Donate A Salad," or "Donate A Dessert" when ordering online, and we'll ensure it reaches someone in need. Every donation provides nourishment, comfort, and hope to our community. Mahalo for helping us feed Hawai‘i—one meal at a time! PRE-ORDER NOW (https://touchahearthawaii.org/collections/ohana-meals) REMINDERS Please refrigerate your meals and desserts right away upon picking them up or delivery. If you're unable to do so immediately, keep the items in an insulated bag or cooler with an ice pack. Items should be consumed by Sunday, and pasta dishes within two (2) days. Mahalo! When ordering online, make sure you receive a confirmation email to verify successful processing. For assistance or if you don’t receive a confirmation email, contact us at (808) 763-7477. If you've already submitted a recipe, mahalo for sharing. We'll be following up in the next few weeks—thank you for your patience as we work through some technical difficulties. SUBMIT A RECIPE (mailto:info@touchahearthawaii.org) Baker's Heart Spotlight Our staff and volunteers welcomed Kentaro Kusakari, Waka Matsuda, Ryo Shinozaki, and their families to our headquarters at Kalihi Union Church. We recently welcomed Kentaro Kusakari, President of Kansai Kensou Kogyo Co., Ltd. and Representative Director of the OmoiYari Project, to Touch A Heart. In partnership with Japan's Ministry of Justice and The Nippon Foundation, Kentaro launched the Shoku-Shin Project, which provides employment and support to formerly incarcerated individuals in Japan. Joining him were broadcaster Waka Matsuda and Touch A Heart supporter Ryo Shinozaki of Dragon Beat Hawaii, who helped make this connection. During their visit, they toured our kitchen and office, viewed our awareness video, and met with Executive Director Robin, Director of Operations & Training Colin, and board member Jaime. Kentaro also shared about his documentary, "I Will Be Your Family", which follows his mission to create a more compassionate society. As a gesture of aloha, we presented our guests with Baker's Heart gifts. We're grateful for opportunities like this to connect with others dedicated to second chances. SHOP BAKER'S HEART (https://touchahearthawaii.org/collections/bakers-heart) Join Our ʻOhana! We're hiring a Social Enterprise Manager to oversee the daily operations of our social enterprises, ensuring efficiency, quality, and excellent customer service. This role involves managing kitchen and food production operations, inventory, purchasing, staff, and volunteers. If you have experience in operations and a heart for impact, apply today! We offer competitive pay and great benefits as part of our commitment to our team. View the full job description by clicking the link below. Send your resume and cover letter to info@touchahearthawaii.org (mailto:info@touchahearthawaii.org) . Follow us on Instagram @touchahear (https://www.instagram.com/touchaheart) t (https://www.instagram.com/touchaheart) to learn more about who we are and the work we do. VIEW JOB DESCRIPTION (https://touchahearthawaii.org/pages/involved) Get Involved! We're looking for on-call volunteers to help deliver ʻOhana Meals to homebound community members. If you have flexibility on Wednesdays and want to make a difference, we'd love to have you on our team! You can make an impact by writing letters to some of our graduates who are currently away in prison. A kind message can provide support, encouragement, and hope as they work toward a fresh start. Interested in volunteering? Contact Robin at robin@touchahearthawaii.org (mailto:robin@touchahearthawaii.org) or (808) 779-7083. Your support makes a big difference! Shop our Social Enterprises For-profit businesses with a non-profit mission and heart for our islands & local community. https://www.touchahearthawaii.org/shop/ ============================================================ ** Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/touchahearthawaii) ** Twitter (http://twitter.com/HITouchAHeart) ** Link (https://instagram.com/touchaheart/) ** Website (https://www.touchahearthawaii.org/) Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|LIST_ADDRESS|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can ** update your preferences (*|UPDATE_PROFILE|*) or ** unsubscribe from this list (*|UNSUB|*) . *|IF:REWARDS|* *|REWARDS_TEXT|* *|END:IF|*
Growth, Gratitude & New Beginnings + 4/9 Menu + Baker's Heart Spotlight
