COMMUNITY CULINARY SCHOOL OF NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT
Changing Lives Through Cooking
Mission
We seek to empower participants, qualifying them for jobs that earn a living wage in the food service industry and helping to feed the hungry while doing so.
Ruling year
2009
Executive Director
Dawn Hammacott
Main address
40 Main St
New Milford, CT 06776 USA
EIN
26-3551690
NTEE code
Vocational Technical (B30)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT is fundamentally changing the lives of program participants through job and life skills training leading to careers in the food service industry. Participants are unemployed or under-employed and primarily at or below 200% federal poverty level. Training touches on all aspects of working in a professional kitchen including ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification and internships at area food service establishments. Life skills training includes employment workshops and financial literacy. The school is the congregate meal provider for the New Milford Senior Center and the emergency food provider for the Town of New Milford with all other food prepared in classes donated to the New Milford Food Bank. The preparation of this food provides valuable hands-on experience for program participants. Job placement rates are at 96% with a 95% retention rate post six months graduation.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Education and Job Creation
Culinary job training is the main focus of the Community Culinary School. Since its inception in August 2007, the school has empowered unemployed and under-employed participants, most at or below 200% federal poverty level, qualifying them for jobs that earn a living wage. The culinary curriculum touches on all aspects of working in a professional kitchen and includes ServSafe certification as well as internships at area food service operations.
The training provided by the Community Culinary School allows these participants, many of who have faced barriers to success prior to enrolling in the program, to work towards achieving long-awaited economic self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.
The School's program boasts a 96% job placement rate, a 95% job retention rate, and 100% of graduates have passed the ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification exam.
No student is turned away based solely on financial need. Funding is available to cover the cost of tuition. Nearly 80% of students qualify for sponsorships paid for by the School.
Life Skills
The life skills training portion of our program includes employment workshops, our “Your Professional Self” series, and financial literacy workshops. The life skills acquired at the Community Culinary School gives our students a competitive and marketable advantage in the job search process, enabling them to secure employment with the opportunity for a career path.
Addressing and combating food insecurity
The Community Culinary School addresses the root causes of hunger in our community as part of the student training experience. Our students prepare meals, with some ingredients received from the Connecticut Food Bank, as part of class instruction to a finished product, which are donated to families and individuals through our local food bank. Food produced in classes feed 170 households weekly, with an average of 2,000 meals prepared per session. Preparation of these meals allows our students to give back to those less fortunate and become part of the solution to working towards alleviating hunger within our community.
Where we work
Accreditations
Great Nonprofits Top-Rated Nonprofit 2021
Affiliations & memberships
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, ServSafe Instructor/Proctor 2021
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT aims to provide job and life skills training, leading to food service careers, to unemployed and underemployed adults while addressing hunger in our community.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The school provides comprehensive culinary training that touches on all aspects of working in a professional kitchen including ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification and internships at area restaurants. Life skills training, that includes employment workshops and financial literacy, helps participants secure employment with the opportunity for a better life for themselves and their families.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Professionally trained Chef Instructors and ServSafe Instructor/Proctors provide culinary and food safety training. Employment specialists provide employment skills training, resumes, and financial literacy. The school has developed extensive relationships with food service providers for internship and employment opportunities for participants.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT's most significant accomplishments are job placement and retention rates as well as the success of graduates in climbing the career ladder. Many have made significant achievements going from prep cooks to Executive Chefs and Food Service Directors.
Next up for the school is an expansion of our partnership with the New Milford Senior Center. In late 2020 the school will move into a newly renovated kitchen at the Center which will allow for larger classes and an expansion of the congregate meal program.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Unemployed and underemployed adults.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Paper surveys, Case management notes, Suggestion box/email,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our board,
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How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?
Most feedback is anonymous so relationships with the individuals are not affected. Feedback has mostly resulted in changes to curriculum, improving on the learning process.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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COMMUNITY CULINARY SCHOOL OF NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT
Board of directorsas of 3/4/2021
Gary Lucnete
Medling, Lucente, and Associates
Term: 2019 - 2022
James Chiavelli
NPS Media Group
Term: 2019 - 2022
Gretchen Barbieri
Savings Bank of Danbury
Lisa DiCandido
Retired
Carl Dill
Retired
Oley Carpp
Corporation for New Milford Economic Development
Michael Nahom
Eastern Connector Specialty Corporation New Milford Fitness and Aquatics Club
Priscilla Williams CPA
Connecticut Businesses Services
Meghan Lyon, Esq.
Hoekenga, Machado, and Lyon, LLC
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
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