More Than a Summer Job: Food Fellowship 2020

More than a summer job, six high school students learned the power of food through our Food Fellowship program, launched on June 15, 2020 with support from Samerian Foundation and JPMorgan Chase.

The paid, six-week intensive included hands-on instruction from industry professionals in sustainable farming, culinary arts, barista skills and customer service, as well as career-readiness, job-seeking, and financial literacy training.

“Sound financial health is the foundation on which strong and resilient households, communities and economies are built,” said Denise Steele at JPMorgan Chase, “but we know that far too many people don’t have access to the resources they need to meet their long-term financial goals. Through work underway by community organizations like The Patachou Foundation, we’re connecting the next generation with the support and tools they need to achieve financial stability and a more prosperous future.”

Fellows received in-person instruction at The Patachou Foundation’s headquarters, which includes a production kitchen and Foundation Coffee Company, a social enterprise of The Patachou Foundation.

“Now more than ever the inequities that exist in health, food, and education have been exposed,” said Food Fellowship Program Director Lade Akande. “In a time where many students have suffered from a lack of engagement and connection, the Food Fellowship program remains committed to empowering communities through food as a tool to economic sovereignty.”

“Poverty and hunger lead to a lifetime of missed opportunities,” said Matthew Feltrop, Executive Director of The Patachou Foundation, “The playing field is not level for everyone.” By teaching practical and transferable skills, the Food Fellowship’s goal is to break the cycle of poverty for young people and open them up to new opportunities to become leaders in their community.

Fellows leave the program with a head full of new ideas and knowledge and with physical evidence of their accomplishments: ServSafe credentials, a resume, and badges from Job Ready Indy that will set them ahead in their career paths.

In celebration of their graduation from the program on July 24, each of the six fellows will designed, cooked, and served a special commensality (the act of eating together) meal to their families using the fresh-picked produce they helped to grow.