Student Stories

KC and her family have visited the St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County Free Dining Room to get a hot meal when times are tight. She knew about the Dining Room because she remembered visiting as a child – her mom was raising a family of eight on her own and when times were tough, the family would eat at the Dining Room. The Dining Room offers a hot noon meal every day, and also serves as the gateway to other services for those in need. Through the Dining Room, KC originally heard about SVdP’s Visitation Center  for Women & Children. She would visit the Center to do her laundry or get clothes and gifts for her kids at holidays.

One day last year, KC was eating lunch in the Dining Room and asked someone about all the people in the kitchen wearing white chef’s coats. When she learned they were students in SVdP’s Kitchen of Champions Culinary Training Academy, KC made an appointment to find out about the program. She enrolled in the 12-week training program and gained confidence in her cooking abilities and a measure of self esteem. And she gained a pathway forward. 

After graduation from the program, KC applied for and was admitted into the Culinary Arts program at Laney College – the first of her family to attend college. It all started with a hot meal ... and people who care. 

Patrick, who is 32, is a recent graduate of the Kitchen of Champions. During his time in the program, his brother died and he had a baby girl.

“What made me come all the way to the end is I’m serious,” he says. “It’s always easy to be on the corner, slanging or doing whatever, but if you really got a passion for something, you should go ahead and put your 100 percent in and get what you want up out of it.”

Before Kitchen of Champions, Jerkins had trouble finding work in food service. He is sure he came close to getting a cooking job, but lacked very basic cooking knowledge. After his 12 weeks in the Kitchen of Champions, he is now prepared. Patrick was hired as a full-time employee with full benefits at the Safeway deli in Rockridge in November. He is now able to provide for his family and will build a career in food services.

Rayma was born and raised in Oakland, CA. A single mother of four, Rayma always kept her mind on working hard, caring for her children and staying out of the system. She acknowledges the need for public assistance but has always made the effort to stay away from “hand outs.” Living life on her own terms, Rayma was volunteering at Alta Bates Medical Center for many years before thinking about changing her vocational path.

She applied to the Kitchen of Champions in late 2008 and started the program in January of 2009. Through the SVdP network Rayma got information on the opening of Mandela Foods Cooperative and started taking various business classes there. After graduating from KOC, Rayma worked the grand opening of Mandela Foods Cooperative on June 6^th, where she is still currently a worker-owner. Now, staying true to her Oakland co-op roots, Rayma is involved in a new clothing venture opening in January where she will also be a worker-owner. She also learned about this opportunity through the SVDP network. “It’s all because of your guys,” she says. “You ought to be real proud of yourselves.”