Your Philanthropy Matters
The Your Philanthropy Matters podcast highlights people and organizations that are making a difference across the community, nation and world. We seek to show that everyone can make a positive contribution that matters!
Your Philanthropy Matters
La Cocina VA - Creating economic opportunities through culinary training programs
If you teach a person to fish...
Paty Funegra, founder of nonprofit LaCocina VA, discusses why and how she started this innovative nonprofit organization. As an immigrant from Peru focused on international business, Paty never imagined she would establish a nonprofit that helps people learn culinary skills and be placed in good paying jobs in the hospitality industry.
La Cocina VA’s mission is to create economic opportunities through bilingual culinary training programs and other food partnerships that help to feed the community while feeding the soul. It offers its clients access to higher-skilled and better-paying jobs to provide a sustainable source of income for themselves and their families. It targets unemployed and underemployed adults from low-income groups.
La Cocina VA began as an organization focused on serving Hispanic immigrants, but thanks to the success of our model, it has been able to expand its services to many other underserved populations as well. It now serves immigrants and refugees from across the globe, veterans, returning citizens, and victims of domestic violence and other traumas.
Update: In 2023 La Cocina VA became Kitchen of Purpose. It has has name --but the same mission and results!