Ten students from the Pre-Employment Program cooked up a new experience this past Spring, as they joined 2 students from PVRS and participated in a 12-week vocational training program launched by Craig White, Co-founder and Co-Owner of Hillside Pizza.
PEP is a unique, tuition-based program designed for students with physical and cognitive challenges. The small, but effective program works with students from 14 to 22 years old on many educational and independent living skills.
White was joined by his friend Patrick O’Hearn, owner of Hillside Organic Catering, and they spent 2 hours each Monday and Tuesday introducing students to the basics of working in a food service environment, learning about food and equipment safety, how to wait tables, and of course, make pizzas.
This was the first session for The Inspired T.A.B.L.E. (Training, Abilities-Building and Learning for Employment), a non-profit program White designed that would allow him to return to working with young people of different abilities, something he has done throughout his career. It is also a return to this type of work for O’Hearn, who loved the years he spent as a para-professional for students with autism.
From the outset, the goal was to prepare the students to work running “Pop Up Slice Shops” for 1.5 hours on four consecutive Tuesdays when Hillside Pizza is typically closed.
Charlie Choleva, PEP lead academic instructor, praised the restaurant for its ongoing commitment to mentoring students and giving the students “real life experience.”
“This has been a great program with us,” White said. “These kids have learned so much and we’ve enjoyed having them here. We’ve even hired a couple of the kids for the summer. They’ll have real jobs and get paid.”
The Inspired T.A.B.L.E., also found a way to give back to the community by making food to be served through the Salvation Army, and at meals programs for those in need in Greenfield. This gave PEP students the chance to prepare a variety of foods such as baked stuffed shells, stir-fried chicken with vegetables and rice, and they prepared over 1,000 meals to those in need.
Pre-Employment Program teacher JoAnn Stafford said The Inspired T.A.B.L.E. at Hillside gives the students an opportunity to learn new skills while also interacting with customers, coworkers and others.
“This program gives these kids a chance to see how this all works,” she said. “Inviting us in like this is wonderful. The kids are learning to work together, learning the steps to follow in this job, and the social aspect is so important.”
White and O’Hearn look forward to working with the students again in the Fall, when they will focus on introducing a greater variety of foods for the students to prepare. The meals will be served at different sites the Greenfield area, as part of White and O’Hearn’s commitment to responding to the rising food insecurity in Franklin County.
“We’re excited to work with the students and show them how much their community needs them, and how they have the ability to make a real difference in the lives of others,” White said.