JobTrain Volunteers Lead Culinary Workshop for Local Seniors

On January 14, 2013, Culinary Art students from JobTrain volunteered their time and expertise to prepare tasty and nutritious meals for seniors residing at The Sheridan in Palo Alto, CA.

Senior Loie Johnson, expressed delight for JobTrain students teaching her fellow residents how to prepare traditional dishes with a creative and healthier twist. "If I could afford it, I'd hire JobTrain students to cook for me every single day. The experience was just wonderful," said Loie.

Led by JobTrain Culinary Arts student Sean Swihart, residents enjoyed an entrée of baked salmon and side dishes of creamy squash risotto, coleslaw, and candied carrots. The meal concluded with a delicious dessert of vanilla icecream drizzled with olive oil and sea salt.

The Sheridan residents loved the culinary workshop, enjoyed the food, and emphatically invited the JobTrain chefs to return next month.

Since 2012, JobTrain student chef Sean Swihart, envisioned teaching the elderly how to creatively prepare tasty meals for residents living on a fixed income. "It was really important to me (personally) to teach seniors how to cook healthily, quickly and conveniently - with the ingredients they most readily have access to," said Chef Sean.

"Growing up in Italy, we were taught that the table is family - it is community. Thank you for being here for us, for being our family and building our community," conveyed Sheridan resident Candy.

At JobTrain, we transform student lives and connect, build and help our communities. If you'd like to learn more about JobTrain, please contact Director of Marketing & Public Relations Kail Lubarsky at 650.330.6569 or via klubarsky@jobtrainworks.org. 

About JobTrain

JobTrain transforms lives and communities in Silicon Valley.  Since 1965, JobTrain has helped more than 160,000 men and women reclaim their lives from welfare, incarceration and unemployment by preparing them for successful careers in high-demand and emerging fields.  JobTrain, formerly OICW, transforms personal motivation into cutting edge skills that are the foundation for self-sufficiency and self-esteem.  In addition to vocational training, JobTrain helps students attain a high school diploma or GED and computer literacy.  Students benefit from one-on-one counseling, life skills and employability training, and are linked with important services such as housing, transportation and childcare.  JobTrain maintains 75% placement rates.  JobTrain transforms lives.