HMSHost Foundation Makes $20,000 Grant to Peace4Kids in Los Angeles

HMSHost Foundation on Nov. 30, made a $20,000 grant to Los Angeles-based nonprofit Peace4Kids. The grant was presented at Los Angeles International Airport’s Terminal 6 pre-security Starbucks, operated by HMSHost Corporation. The grant was made to support the advancement of transitioning-aged foster care youth who live in South Los Angeles in the discipline of culinary arts and the food service industry.

“HMSHost Foundation is honored to present this grant to Peace4Kids in support of the critically important work this group does for foster youth in LA,” said HMSHost Foundation President Paul Mamalian. “HMSHost Foundation aims to prepare future generations through learning and developing valuable career skills. This grant to Peace4Kids will assist individuals preparing for life after foster care to do just that with culinary training that can help them succeed in today’s thriving restaurant industry.”

The culinary arts training program administered by Peace4Kids takes an innovative approach to developing leadership skills among youth with regards to food. Peace4Kids created a “mobile village kitchen” or MVK, which is a 32 foot trailer built to house an industrial, first-class, classroom kitchen (link to video introduction). The trailer has expandable walls that turn the kitchen into a 700 square foot learning space. It is used in South Los Angeles to teach youth in foster care about food preparation, food ecosystems, food equity, and nutrition.

Training in the MVK imparts foundational kitchen skills that can translate into hospitality careers. Foster youth also build an essential part of their cultural identity through experiences on the MVK, which they then share with the community at events and through other media channels.

Goals of the MVK include:

• Engaging a core team of 12 teens at a time in food equity training, food preparation, nutrition, and leadership skills.
• Serving a minimum of 75 youth (ages 10–19) annually with MVK programming.
• Providing 2,500 meals annually to youth in foster care in South Los Angeles.
• Hosting a minimum of two yearly events to highlight the MVK, the power of food, and the impact on the foster care community.
• Producing videos that feature the impact of the MVK on our community, such as this one.

“This investment from HMSHost Foundation ensures that we can more broadly impact the health outcomes of youth in foster care,” said Peace4Kids Executive Director Zaid Gayle. “Beyond just educating them on nutrition and food equity, this opportunity also creates a space where our teens gain access to food industry careers that are essential for their independence.”

Peace4Kids is a volunteer supported organization that focuses on catering to the social and emotional needs of young people who have experienced trauma in the foster care system. This is done by providing a sense of community and promoting trust, equity and stability through various programs and a mission-essential philosophy based on an approach to action which the organization calls “Community as Family”. Youth in Peace4Kids programs gain access to healthy meals, mentorship opportunities, school supplies, and leadership development resources.