Learn to earn
The Fresh Start Café at 280 Broadway in Newburgh is providing a dual service: serving fresh, well-prepared breakfasts and lunches while offering residents the opportunity to learn skills to get them into the job market.
It was created by RECAP (Regional Economic Community Action Program) and Orange County”™s Department of Social Services, which opened a similar café in Middletown in 2009 and has already earned 130 percent of its expected profit.
Fresh Start Café”™s goal is to help residents who have relied on the county for money to learn another way of life: Opening a door to independence, self-reliance and self-esteem. “It feels good to get a paycheck that exceeds what you are getting from the county…and to know you can move up to bigger and better things,” said Carol Kobetitsch, program director.
Kobetitsch spent several years in the corporate world, training people how to put their best foot forward. “When we first began to recruit staff, people were not receptive. Once many learned we were here to help mentor them to get ahead and get off public assistance, they were asking questions faster than I could answer.”
Of course, Kobetitsch said, “No-shows come with the territory, even in the regular work world. The Department of Social Services follows up on those who decide the training program is not for them.”
By July 15, Kobetitsch felt she had the staff to handle the jobs assigned and do them well while learning every aspect of the restaurant business, and so Fresh Start Café opened for business.
“My job is to focus on trainees”™ positive traits ”“ not their shortcomings,” she said. “Those we work on to minimize. It”™s critical to trainees”™ success to feel this is a hand up and that they look forward to coming to work each day.”
Back in the kitchen, Culinary Institute of America-trained chef Bill Wilklow is teaching how to plan menus, put together orders for vendors, how to bake, cook and prepare meals and to keep the kitchen clean and free of hazards. At the front end, Renee Korey is training staff how to wait on customers and to become the polished professionals the restaurant industry is seeking.
“The Middletown café”™s success wasn”™t done with advertising. It was strictly word of mouth,” Kobetitsch said. “The food is great, the staff is great and word got around. Our trainees leave this program because they”™ve found jobs. And in this economy, it”™s truly remarkable.”
Newburgh”™s café is getting ready for its official ribbon cutting when The Center for Hope opens in October. “We”™re not going to be unhappy when our trainees leave us to take a job,” said Kobetitsch. “For us, that”™s a success story, one we hope to replicate often.”