WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Hope Kitchen
Hope Kitchen proudly serves 400 meals daily to over 320 guests at our Kelly Shelter, Redwood, and Crossings sites. The kitchen relies on donations of goods from ACCESS, St Vincent de Paul, and private meal donors in the community to fill our pantry and offset the cost of goods purchased through US Foods and the US Chefs Store. We also have a large community garden at the Kelly Shelter that provides fresh produce throughout the summer and fall each year. This garden is maintained by kitchen staff, interns, volunteers, and some guests in the shelter.
Hope Kitchen hosts a 12-week internship program, introducing program guests to working in a commercial kitchen. This job training program is a life-changing opportunity that provides individuals with valuable experience in food service, increasing their chances of securing and maintaining employment in the industry. This not only fosters financial independence but also serves as a crucial step toward finding sustainable housing and reintegrating into the community with confidence.
INTERNSHIP SUCCESS STORY
Meet Allan
One of Hope Kitchen’s brightest success stories and a powerful reminder of what perseverance, support, and second chances can do is the story of Allan Florea.
Allan’s journey with Rogue Retreat began long before he ever stepped into the kitchen. Growing up in an unstable home, Allan found himself homeless by the age of 14. What followed was 15 years of struggling with addiction and surviving life on the streets. But even in the darkest of times, Allan never gave up on the hope that life could be different.
After going through inpatient care with the ARC, Allan came to Rogue Retreat ready to start over. He joined the Hope Kitchen internship program and poured himself into learning new skills, showing up every day with determination and humility. Over the course of the internship, Allan became a cornerstone of the kitchen team, preparing meals for Kelly Shelter guests and helping cater events with professionalism and pride.
Over the course of the internship, Allan became a cornerstone of the kitchen team
Now, Allan is 15 months clean and officially hired on as a full-time Hope Kitchen Assistant – his first real job. To celebrate his hard work, dedication, and graduation from the internship program, Allan was gifted a new bike so he could get himself to work and back to his new home in one of Rogue Retreat’s transitional living programs.
Allan has since obtained his driver’s license for the first time ever and his now a shining example of what it looks like to participate in your own success story, and how you can be an example for others walking a similar road to one you once walked. We are proud to celebrate Allan’s success as a rising star in our Hope Kitchen!