Hello Everyone –
Recently I applied for a volunteer opportunity and was selected as one of ten chefs to participate in the 2010 CulinaryCorps service trip to Puerto Rico. This year over 70 applicants applied for only seven open slots; I’m excited to have made the cut! In February 2010, I will be taking a week out of my year to lend my support as a cook to communities and organizations throughout the island.
During my seven-day service trip in Puerto Rico, I will be putting my skills in the kitchen to very good use. Projects range from teaching basic cooking skills to at-risk youth on the island of Vieques, to creating over 600 meals for adults living with HIV/AIDS in San Juan.
CulinaryCorps mobilizes skilled culinary volunteers to under-served communities via short-term volunteer trips. By coupling these service efforts with educational activities, CulinaryCorps exposes participants to the vital and complex role food plays in a community’s well-being. Working closely with local leaders and culinary luminaries, CulinaryCorps provides team members the opportunity to transform their kitchen skills and passion for food into outreach tools that help to enrich the communities served. In turn, the participants themselves are enriched: both as cooks and as citizens.
I am looking forward to sharing with everyone my experiences during this incredible mission. Please continue to visit my Blog for updates on preparations for the trip, getting there, day-to-day projects and workshops, vacationing and my return Home.
Chef Rivera's Blog 