HAMPTON, Va. - The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is seeking new students for its January culinary training class, which helps feed local kids in need.
The 12-week program is offered for free via a partnership with Kroger and federal grant money. Angelina Pearsall is a recent graduate.
"It's amazing," Pearsall said. “Us students crammed a lot of things into this twelve weeks it was pretty much go go go."
Students learn skills like food safety and sanitation, as well as leadership and team-building. Pearsall said even if you have no prior cooking experience, the class will get you caught up.
“It teaches you the basics first and then you work your way up, it’s a good step-by-step process,” said Pearsall.
Executive director Karen Joyner said the training is rigorous. In the eleven years the program has been running, 180 people have graduated.
“These students are volunteering their time the whole time that they’re here, so they’re here 5 days a week for about 7 hours every single day,” Joyner said.
In Virginia, one out of every ten kids is hungry, according to Feeding America. This program helps lessen that number.
“Each class has actually supplied tens of thousands of meals out in the community for low income children to be able to have nutritious food at the end of the day,” said Joyner.
The deadline to apply for the next course is December 31. For information on how to apply, click here.
