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Today’s speaker, Erin Mascho, Director of Development, California Restaurant Foundation (CRF) was introduced by Roozbeh Farahanipour. The CRF is a 501© (3) non-profit corporation supporting the culinary arts programs in LA County High Schools. It changes lives through restaurants.
CRF empower young people with the skills they need to land a job & go to college to study food service and hospitality. They also provide food & beverage workers with hope and stability during times of crisis. They care for people at the heart of restaurants through training, scholarships, and relief funding.
Scholarships are provided to deserving High School students and undergraduates with dreams of pursuing higher education to study food service and other professions within the restaurant industry. Many of these students have no prior experience with restaurants or the potential for employment within the industry.
The Foundation serves three purposes. To support culinary arts programs in high schools in LA county, provide scholarships and, provide “restaurant care” to restaurant workers who suffer an illness, injury, natural disaster or, death of an immediate family member up $2500. This “restaurant care” program also applies to restaurants, food trucks, catering, tasting rooms and entertainment venues who need relief funding for example, to purchase new equipment to increase future revenue and hiring.
Culinary Arts programs are expensive and, this foundation helps support these programs through grants. Erin felt the work environment in Southern California right now is particularly good as restaurants are hiring and new ones reopening after Covid.
President Steve thanked Erin for her presentation and, Rotarian Sunda Croonquist presented her with a copy of her cookbook on Kosher Soul Food (who knew she was a comedian and writer?).
Congratulations to WVRC’s newest member, Mohsen Babaelan who PP Mark Rogo inducted at today’s meeting.
Special thanks to Roozbeh Farahanipour for reciting the Four Way Test, Yang Shen for greeting, Meir Nemetsky for leading the pledge, PP Marsha Hunt for the “Thoughts of the Day” involving famous sports quotes, “Don’t count the days, make the days count” by Mohamed Ali and, PP Ed Gauld for leading the singing of, “School Days, School Days” wearing a special graduation hat!
Kudos to PP Mark Rogo for bringing guest Janet Schwartz and, Sunda Croonquist for bringing back guest, Gerry Bergstein.
President Steve ended the meeting with a quote from Mae West, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
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