Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 12, 1 December 2016 — Cooking for a cause [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Cooking for a cause

ByTreenaShapiro t's 1 1 a.m. on a Thursday morning and three women in the Touch a Heart program are about to see the results of their mornin2's

work. Cutting open parchmentwrapped packets just pulled from the oven, they reveal

steaming monchong filets, seasoned with sov sauce and sesame

oil, and cradled by assortment of julienned vegetables. It's delicious and more than just luneh. It's part of a nonprofit

pilot program that gives homeless and disadvantaged women an opportunity to turn their lives around through vocational and life skills training. So far, six single mothers have graduated from the

12-week program. Five are now employed and all have successfully transitioned out of homelessness. Robin Kumahe, executive director of Touch a Heart,

said she and her hus-

band Colin wanted to find a way to partner with nonprofits with underutilized kitchens where they could teach sheltered homeless women vocational and life skills, such as how to budget, eook healthy meals,

extend a ehieken to feed a family for a week and prepare for a career track in culinary arts. "The old adage, 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime' really sums up the mission of Touch a Heart," Kumahe said. "Eaeh year in Hawai'i, an esti-

mated 14,000 people experience homelessness. Of those living in a shelter, 71

percent are unemployed. At Touch a Heart, we wanted to do something about that and created a unique business model that teaches job skills, helps with employment placement, and also provides a delicious, quality product that ean generate revenue." For the pilot program, Touch a Heart has partnered with the Salvation Army, who provided its Family

Treatment Center kitchen, as well as the first three participants from the Ke Ola Pono therapeutic living program. After 23 years as a unit manager at Zippy's, Colin provided the instruction. Members of the fourth cohort all said the program has been a selfconfidence boost that has them all

more optimistic about the future - especially as sole breadwinners for their families. "I'm intending to work," said Shanna Aipolani Kaaihue, 36. Her short-term goal is to move back to Kahuku and hopefully get a job at Turtle Bay. In the long-term, she's thought about going into catering. For Gailynn Kalahiki, 31, it's been empowering to realize she ean handle the class on top of raising an infant and toddler and focusing on her recovery from addiction. "I don't find it too stressful to be doable," said the former eook who signed up for the class to brush up on her skills. "The experience makes me feel more well-rounded," said Miehelle Pondelicek, 38. The basic skills, even just arriving on time, make her more confident about finding a job. "It's something to look forward to when we leave the program." For more information about Touch a Heart, eall 779-7083, email info @touchaheartha waii.org or visit www.touchahearthawaii.org. ■

Stocking Stuffer For the holidays, Touch a Heart has released a "Baker's Heart" Holiday Gift Guide featuring Oatmeal Flax Cookies made with quinoa, chocolate chips and cranberries; Double Chocolate Almond or Cranberry Almond Biscotti, as well as Biscotti Bites. Prices range from $3 to $50. Catalog orders are due by Dec. 2. In addition to the catalog, limited quantities are available for purchase at Friend Cafe and lsland Cafe in Kunia. For a catalog or to plaee an order, eall 779-7083, email info@ touchahearthawaii.org or visit www.touchahearthawaii.org.

j HO'OKAHUAWAIWAI ^ > EC0N0MIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY /

Oalmeal Flax Cookies x and Biscotti Bites. - Photo: Kimo Burgess