Giving Back

Discover two local nonprofits making an impact

In this season of giving thanks, and as you think about ways to give back this month (or anytime), consider supporting Kitchens for Good or United Through Reading, two nonprofit organizations making a difference in the San Diego County community. Read on to learn how they’re making an impact and what you can do to support their efforts or get involved.

Kitchens for Good

Kitchens for Good (KFG) is dedicated to making a positive impact in San Diego County through food and culinary arts training. In the past eight years, their Culinary Apprenticeship Program has enabled over 800 local San Diegans to gain job skills in order to build better futures for themselves and their families.

KFG’s apprenticeship program provides enrolled students tuition-free classroom and on-the-job training, career coaching and access to job placement services. The goal is to break the cycle of poverty by helping students gain necessary skills in the culinary arts. Students make the decision to invest in themselves, many reentering the workforce after various life challenges, substance use or years in foster care. Regardless of circumstances, apprentices are committed to transforming their lives.

KFG relies on local community support to be successful. “Showing support by donating, shopping our resale store, purchasing cooking class experiences, and spreading the word [to others] are the best ways to help,” says Rachel Taylor, content and strategy manager at Kitchens for Good.

KFG hosts cooking classes at the Door of Hope kitchen in Linda Vista. They run all kinds of classes for the holiday season, from casual date nights to corporate and team building events. The classes make great gifts and are an excellent way to support KFG. If you’re looking for more gift ideas, KFG also has holiday-themed sales through their resale shop, where you can purchase unique, gently used kitchenware, vintage items and specialty goods for yourself or loved ones.

Volunteers can work at the shop in Pacific Beach, serve food alongside KFG staff at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park or work at an apprentice-run café. Volunteer individually or with a group (ages 14 and up; under 18 need an accompanying adult). All volunteer work, donations and purchases directly support San Diegans working in the apprenticeship programs.

Learn more or shop online at www.kitchensforgood.org and follow @kitchensforgood on social media.

United Through Reading

For the past 35 years, United Through Reading (UTR) has helped our local military members and their families stay connected through reading, no matter the distance between them. UTR facilitates a shared read-aloud experience by giving service members a unique opportunity to record a story time moment. The recording can be accessed by their children or family member and watched on-demand while following along with their own copy of the book. Whether on deployment or other long-distance duty assignments, UTR enables members in all military branches, including veterans, to strengthen familial bonds during times of separation.

UTR’s library consists of children’s books that reflect the diversity of our military families and our nation, creating a more inclusive and empathetic society while encouraging a love for reading.

“At United Through Reading, we believe every child deserves to see themselves in the stories they read, including our military,” says Melanie Sheridan, UTR’s director of marketing and communications.

“We believe diversity in books expands a child’s worldview and allows them to understand the full breadth and depth of the human experience.”

Generous support from the community allows UTR to continue to facilitate emotional connections and literacy advancement within military families. Consider volunteering time or donating funds or books to support a bridge between military members and their loved ones.

Volunteers may attend events, run story-recording stations or host virtual book drives to support San Diego military families. There are story time stations at most local military installations, and staff members always work alongside volunteers (onbase access may be required). Volunteers of all ages are welcome to support UTR’s mission (volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). Book donations from the community ensure story stations are always stocked with inclusive books with diverse characters and themes.

To learn more about United Through Reading’s mission to unite military families through story time, visit www.unitedthroughreading.org or follow @unitedthroughreading on FB and @utr4military on IG. v

Amanda Cavallari is a lifestyle writer residing in San Diego.