Proposal Design

Planting Seeds of Hope For Future Leaders

WHAT IS 2 HANDS 2 CANS? 2 Hands 2 Cans improves the lives of individuals from low-income communities, providing career opportunities in the hospitality industry and pairing residents with industry leaders and mentors.

To achieve this goal, our work is three-fold: connecting industry professionals back to their communities; encouraging individuals and families to embrace healthier lifestyles through community garden events; and providing individuals with education, job-skill training and paid internships, which have the potential to lead to careers within the hospitality industry.

WHAT IS OUR MISSION? Our mission is to empower low-income individuals by addressing both their immediate and long-term needs through extended job-skill training, education and career placement, in order to excel as self-sufficient members of society.

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"You have two hands, one to help yourself, the second to help others."

OUR PROGRAM MODEL No matter who you are or where you come from, everyone deserves a chance to grow. 2 Hands 2 Cans employs a three-tiered strategy for achieving our goals. Each of these outreach efforts address a specific need in our community: What do we do?

Growth Spurts – A monthly event held in our community garden where we bring volunteers, program participants and local families together to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and give back in the process.

Collective Growth – Donation barrels placed in local businesses that encourage their guests, clients, friends and colleagues to donate toiletries, canned goods, garden seeds and tools, and professional work attire.

Why do we do it?

We believe everyone, regardless of his or her background, deserves the access and tools needed for long-term employment. Our program provides a 9-month paid internship within a hospitality company, providing residents with mentors, education, job skill training and career placement.

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“2 million people in Los Angeles struggle with hunger, 500,000 of which are children.”

“By kindergarten, food-insecure children often are cognitively, emotionally and physically behind their food-secure peers.”

Growth Spurts What are they?

Every month, corporate companies help to sponsor "Growth Spurt" events at our community garden located in the Nickerson Garden Housing Complex in Watts, Los Angeles, CA. At these events we anticipate 50-75 participants including: volunteers, partner businesses, program participants and community members.

• Culinary class and catered lunch for residents, sponsored by partner organizations including Tender Greens and Le Cordon Bleu • Opportunities for volunteers from the hospitality industry and local community to build relationships • Planting and harvesting gardens in inner-city Los Angeles • Educational workshops offering job skill training

Praise for the Garden Events: Since its inception, our Growth Spurt events have brought together hundreds of individuals.

Individuals such as Allan: Over the 25 years that we’ve been in business, we have been connected with many organizations but none of our partnerships have ever been more rewarding than the one we have with 2 Hands 2 Cans. The opportunity to serve others alongside your peers, clients and employees is awesome in itself but the privilege to do so when you can clearly see change in people and communities is a gift to everyone involved. – Allan Goetz, President, Tour Connection

Get Involved The cost to build and harvest one garden plot is $350.00/year or $1,500/per garden event.

If you don’t have the time to volunteer in the garden, we’re always in need of the following items: Canned goods, organic produce, diapers, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, deodorant, gardening tools, seeds, and hygiene or gardening supplies.

HOW YOU CAN HELP ?

We’re always looking for leaders who would like to volunteer and provide professional expertise for our gardening efforts. Chefs, nutritionists, botanists and those with awesome green thumbs are especially welcome to help make these gardens fruitful and provide nutritional education and gardening tips with lasting effects.

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Collective Growth The Sponsorship Barrels connects industry leaders back to their communities WHAT IS THE SPONSORSHIP BARREL? 2 Hands 2 Cans’ Collective Growth barrel was birthed out of the desire to engage volunteers and businesses within the hospitality industry. Each barrel is labeled with the sponsoring company’s name and logo, and then placed in high-traffic areas at the businesses that employ one of our “Branches to Growth” participants. These barrels collect donations including: toiletries, garden seeds, canned goods and work attire. Once a month, the collected items are given to a family in need at one of our Growth Spurt garden events.

In addition to providing donated items for a family in need, each barrel helps to offset the cost for individuals in our Branches to Growth program including: transportation stipends, work attire, finance courses and training.

PRAISE FOR THE SPONSORSHIP BARREL: The Sponsorship Barrel is a no-brainer for any organization in travel and hospitality. If we can make a sustained difference to empower future generations of our industry, it’s worth every penny. That is why we founded F1S Helps – to find meaningful ways like this to give back through travel.

-Fernando Gonzalez, CEO, First in Service Travel

Get Involved The cost to sponsor one barrel is $2500/per year and can be renewed on a yearly basis.

Are you interested in sponsoring a barrel and/or placing one at your company?

Contact our team for more information at: info@2hands2cans.org

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Branches To Growth Graduates receive a paid internship with a local business in the hospitality industry participating in our "Collective Growth" barrel program Our Branches to Growth program is the “why” behind what we do. With the help of partner businesses through our Collective Growth program, and a community of support through our Growth Spurt events, we are able to help individuals acquire the tools they need to be successful in a long-term career.

In order to participate in the program, graduates must: • Be at least 17 years old • Have received a high school diploma/GED equivalent • Complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service in the Growth Spurt garden

Our program offers: • Certification in accredited hospitality management courses • Interview training • Resume preparation • Business finance courses • Opportunities to learn healthy eating and gardening practices at 2H2C’s Growth Spurt events • One-on-one mentorship with an industry leader throughout the duration of the program

In order to remove barriers to success, 2H2C provides graduates with: • Transportation stipends • Proper work attire • Resume Preparation • Assistance in covering first and last month’s rent • Covering the cost of preparation and testing materials for the GED/HiSET Since our inception individuals have graduated from our program and successfully transitioned into self-sufficient living. Here’s Jacqueline’s story: I’ve been at the hotel a little over a year and I can’t believe how far the company wants to advance and promote their employees I have had the privilege of meeting the owners. They are a family-oriented company that only promotes within. I feel like I can conquer the world, and I can’t wait to share my experience with others, especially the children that live in the Nickerson Gardens housing development. I’m inspired to do what I never thought was possible!

– Jacqueline Bailey, Branches to Growth Graduate

How Can You Help?

The cost to support one program participant in the Branches to Growth Program is $4,000.00.

If you’re interested in sponsoring one of our graduates, or your would like to nominate someone for the program, please contact Chris Willard at: chris@2hands2cans.org.

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Keith Francis: Dishwasher attendant, Momma Shelter /Hollywood, CA Dreams, Goals, Ambitions: To become a doer, inspire and understand people better

Rafael Renderos: Asst. Sous Chef, Annabelle Hotel / Burbank, CA Dreams, Goals, Ambitions: To further my education, improve or advance skills that I acquire.

To become the employee that employers are looking for.

Nathan Dillon: Housman, Sportsmen's Lodge / Studio City Dreams, Goals, Ambitions: To run a company or restaurant in serving others within a housing development

Rosa Ruiz: Housekeeper, Holiday Inn / Burbank, CA Dreams, Goals, Ambitions: To become a nurse someday and continue with extended education

Kevin Trapp: Back of House, O Hotel / Los Angeles Dreams, Goals, Ambitions: To be in a place to grow and develop in this industry, while utilizing my gifts as a Massage Therapist.

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PROJECTED TRANSITION TIMELINE From the very beginning, until transitioned into independent living, participants spend a total of 9 months in our program. 2 Hands 2 Cans graduates are passionate about giving back to their communities post graduation. We've seen an amazing amount of inspiration poured back into the very communities that the graduates have grown up in.

Phase 1: Introduction • • • • • •

Resume preparation and review Job application process Professional work attire consultation Entry-level position placement Access to Adult Education classes for GED/HiSET Introduction to Hospitality Etiquette and Behavior classes

Phase 2: Educational Process 1 • • •

Accredited online hospitality certification classes Monthly goal planning Sales and marketing training

Phase 3: Educational Process 2 • •

Business finance and personal accounting course Savings account consultation

Phase 4: Independent Living • • •

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Transition into self-sufficient living Promotion within the hotel or company Reciprocating work within the community

Completion 25% 1 MONTH

Completion 50% 3 MONTHS

Completion 75% 6 MONTHS

Completion 100% 9 MONTHS

Our Partners

2 Hands 2 Cans has partnered with The Dream Center located near Downtown Los Angeles, to create programs for local inner-city youth and adults. In addition to individual charitable campaigns, 2 Hands 2 Cans seeks to mentor Dream Center Transition program graduates, guiding them into the industry through the leadership of hospitality professionals. The overarching goal of 2 Hands 2 Cans is to actively engage our communities to make a real-world, long-term impact.

Tender Greens is excited to partner with 2 Hands 2 Cans, bringing even greater support and opportunities to the young adults who need it most. Through the Sustainable Life Project internships program, Tender Greens is able to offer real-world, paid work experience to at-risk young adults participating in the 2 Hands 2 Cans program. This collaboration is a boon to both organizations, as 2 Hands 2 Cans is able to prepare its clients with work-readiness skills before handing them off to Tender Greens to apply what they've learned. Best of all, if individuals apply themselves during their internship, they have an excellent change of being hired, on as a long-term, full-time employee.

Every year, over 1.2 million students dropout of high school in the United States alone. That’s a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day. About 33% of high school seniors fail to graduate from high school on time.

2 Hands 2 Cans has partnered with Sunburst Academy in order to help disadvantaged youth find their path “from the ground up.” Every month, cadets ages 16-18, attend 2H2C’s Growth Spurt events to learn healthy concepts, extended job skill training, social skills, and prepare to qualify for a position in local hotels and restaurants.

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Our Program Sponsors

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