Education
Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, a project of Homeward Bound of Marin, has received a $30,000 grant to refine and enhance its training program with updated curriculum and a new job coach. The grant from Catalyst Kitchens, an affiliate group for culinary social enterprise businesses, is supported by the Walmart Foundation and will allow Fresh Starts Culinary Academy to build better pathways to success for its students. Funds will support review of the curriculum for adherence to national “best practices” as well as job coaching and more integration of the job-training course with on-the-job work experience in social enterprise projects. It also helps Homeward Bound create programs for better follow-up with graduates.
The Sonoma County Harvest Fair judges have announced Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm olive oil is a double gold winner in the fair’s professional olive oil competition. The SRJC olive oil, made from a blend of Arbosana, Arbequina and Koroneiki olives, won the award in the category of Sonoma County-grown medium-flavored olive oil. The olive oil production is part of the college’s efforts to teach students about “value added” items than can be created from food crops. “A total of 165 bottles of olive oil were produced for sale, and they are available for $18 each at the SRJC bookstore, B. Robert Burdo Culinary Arts Center, and the Wineyard, a cooperative tasting room in Santa Rosa showcasing Shone Farm’s wine.Banking
Novato-based Circle Bank announced that the Redwood Empire Food Bank, which serves Sonoma County and the North Bay, will be the beneficiary of its quarterly charity day program. Circle Bank matches the cash contributions of employees as part of the program, and has also set up containers for food donation and an account to facilitate cash contributions. The bank recently celebrated its 50th consecutive profitable quarter by donating 50,000 pounds of food to the food bank, as well as the San Francisco Food Bank.Health care
Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Live Well Be Well workplace-wellness program received platinum certification in the 2012 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards presented by the National Business Group on Health. The awards also include a platinum certification for the Healthy Workforce program run by Kaiser Permanente’s national office, also based in Oakland. Around the country, only 30 large employers were honored with Platinum certification. Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Live Well Be Well program offers more than 250 services aimed at promoting and enhancing the health and well-being of the region’s 68,000 employees and 7,000 physicians.Tourism
SailNapaValley.com, a collaboration between the Napa Valley Destination Council, Napa Valley Vintners and the 34th America’s Cup, launches on June 27 to showcase Napa Valley lodging, wine and culinary offerings for fans and friends of the America’s Cup. As the official wine region of the 34th America’s Cup, the Napa Valley has developed a variety of experiences for adventurous race fans looking to trade adrenaline for indulgence, just an hour’s drive from San Francisco. Access to the site is available to all fans of the America’s Cup, with a private ‘Unrivaled Access’ portal accessible only to AC Crew members, the official America’s Cup fan club. The site launch coincides with the America’s Cup World Series Newport races, kicking off on June 28 in Newport, Rhode Island. SailNapaValley.com features packages and travel experiences available during race times and throughout the year.
