FCTC COOKING CLASS

JPC Cares hosted a cooking class and luncheon at First Coast Technical College in St. Augustine on Thursday, 9/22 from 10-1. The topic was "farm to table" foods. Chef David Bearl created a menu using locally grown produce with local grass fed beef and Minorcan shrimp. Chef David explained the advantages of buying local while demonstrating how to prepare some of his recipes such as butternut squash soup and braised cabbage with Datil Pepper Sausage. The participants were then treated to a delicious lunch using Chef David's recipes prepared by the students in the Food Service Program. The proceeds from this event will benefit the Career Navigators Program at the school
The Career Navigators Program is an enrichment program for at risk youth. The program serves 16-21 year olds that are low income and also have at least one additional barrier to their success in education. Examples of these barriers are teen parent, foster care, arrest history, low reading and math scores, disability, homeless, and high school drop out. The goal is to assist this at risk population, that typically remains on public assistance all of their lives, by educating them, and giving them the job skills necessary to become self-sufficient, productive, tax paying members of society. This is accomplished through the assignment of a case manager who works one on one with the student and helps them overcome barriers that typically cause someone to drop out of school. Students may be provided with seminars, assistance with childcare, transportation, tuition, books, supplies, and uniforms.