Capital One presented a $50,000 grant to the Food Bank of Delaware last week at the 37th graduating class of The Culinary School. Capital One’s funding will help support student scholarships for The Culinary School, the Mobile Pantry program and other Food Bank of Delaware hunger-relief programs.
Jim Kelly, head of Direct Banking, Capital One, provided keynote remarks for the graduation ceremony.
Students have spent the past 14 weeks developing their passion for the culinary arts. From proper knife handling techniques to Serve Safe certification and completing an internship, the students are prepared for entry-level jobs in the food industry. Student internship sites included Desserts by Dana, Domaine Hudson, Two Stones Pub, Westin Hotel and more.
“The Culinary School is all about providing Delawareans with the skills they need in order to obtain jobs in the thriving restaurant industry. We can’t do what we do without the support of partners like Capital One,” said Food Bank of Delaware CEO Patricia Beebe. “I am proud of the progress our graduates have made. They are not the same individuals they were 14 weeks ago. Each and every one of them has worked hard to get to today’s graduation. There were challenges, but they all made it.”
The mission of The Culinary School is two-fold. First, students are taught skills that are highly desirable to employers in the food industry. Second, these newly-developed skills have the potential to lead to jobs in the industry that provide job security and economic sustainability. Students are referred to the program through the Criminal Justice Council, Delaware Department of Labor, Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and other community-based organizations.
