Mary Chiappetta, our Stop Human Trafficking Chair, is a force to be reckoned with. When she makes up her mind to support an organization or a cause, she not only jumps in with both feet but, she commits 200%! And that is the case with Kherut.
Kherut empowers survivors of human trafficking by providing education, mentorship, and long-term employment opportunities in a safe and supportive environment.
Kherut ’s innovative solution is to build commissary kitchens that will support up to 10 food trucks per location (a POD). Working with partnering organizations such as Teen Project/Vera’s Sanctuary, Waymakers, Salvation Army, Casa Teresa and I Sanctuary, survivors will go through paid four-phase training to learn skills in food service, cooking, catering, event planning, menu design, social media, customer service, bookkeeping, inventory control, marketing, sales, and problem-solving related to the business. Long-term employees will advance within the organization or leave with the skills, experience and references they need to be successful and independent outside of it. (source: kherut.org)
Last night, Mary and her husband, John, invited a group of us to join them at the K(her)ut Gala, an amazing event held at the Highway 39 Event Center. The ambiance was incredible, the food prepared by Chef Yves Masquéfa and his team, scrumptious, the entertainment first notch and the speakers…well, what can I say…impactful! (I cried.) Attendees included founders and CEO’s from other like-minded nonprofits, like us, Soroptimist (Huntington Beach & Newport Harbor Area), International Sanctuary, Waymakers and Higher Ground.
Pictured above, Joe Baldo, founder of Higher Ground, with Terry Rose, Mary Chiappetta, Carrie Tinker and Dawn Marie Lemonds
And…the icing on the cake was that Soroptimist Huntington Beach was mentioned as one of the event’s sponsors!
This evening will live in the hearts of all of us who attended the event!
To support Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach, please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin, subscribe to our youtube channel, support our fundraisers (Bunco coming up in November and our Murder Mystery scheduled for February 11, 2023), join us at our Program Meetings (January 26, 2023: supporting Human Trafficking Awareness month, a collaboration of 3 clubs – Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach, Newport Harbor Area and Westminster – and our Live Your Dream Awards Presentations & Celebration, February 23, 2023) and of course, feel free to donate to us. 100% of all direct donations received go directly to our life-changing programs.