PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    July 30, 2014

For More Information Contact:               Gwen Harmon, Metropolitan Ministries

                                                                    813.209.1264

                                                                    813.992.4995 cell

                       JP Morgan Chase Funds Culinary Arts Program for Metropolitan Ministries for 2014-15

                                                            Grant award of $100,000 provides training for homeless clients

(Tampa, FL)   At one point in their lives, they were homeless, in foster care, unemployed or underemployed and facing what they thought were hopeless conditions.

Metropolitan Ministries and JP Morgan Chase saw hope instead. For the second year, the Culinary Arts training program at Metropolitan Ministries received major funding from Chase to train and mentor clients interested in becoming chefs or culinary trained employees at some of the best restaurants in the Tampa Bay area.

In 2013, JP Morgan Chase provided the Ministries with a $90,000 grant. This year they increased the amount to $100,000 to provide additional case management services for the students to assist them in recovering from the trauma they have experienced, navigating their careers and reaching self- sufficiency as they graduate from the program.

As prep or station cooks, graduates have the opportunity to earn 25% greater income than if they were not to receive this experience. This increase in income potential will lead to a higher likelihood of self-sufficiency for the clients.

The Culinary Arts Program accepts 32 students for the 16 week training classes.

The ultimate goal of the Culinary Arts Program is for:

  87.5% of students to graduate with a certificate

  85% of graduates to find employment in the hospitality industry 

This past year these goals were met with 88.8% of students achieving graduation and 85% finding employment. Additionally, each student completes 100 internship hours at Inside the Box Cafe. Upon graduation, the students received a Food Handling Certificate and a MM Culinary Arts Certificate. Metropolitan Ministries has two Inside the Box Cafés in Tampa, where every meal purchased provides a meal for someone who is hungry in the community. purchased.

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