Damon Fain Jr. first enrolled in Second Helpings’ Culinary Job Training (CJT) program in the fall of 2020 but didn’t complete the program. “I was trying to change my life, but a part of me wasn’t fully ready to commit to that change… Life made me almost give up on myself.”
Still, Damon could hear the advice from his chef instructors. “I knew I had to step out of my own way. The first step I took towards becoming a better person was to call Chef Kyle to ask if I could try again. I remember he said, ‘We’re not going to try, we’re going to do.’”
Damon won Class 155’s soup competition, always a favorite among students, staff, and volunteers, with his tomato bisque soup.
Damon did just that. He graduated with Class 155 this summer, earning awards for top scores on Knife Skills and ServSafe exams, and won the class’s soup competition.
As a Second Helpings supporter, you know that your gift provides a variety of supportive resources to Culinary Job Training students and graduates.
“Second Helpings is still helping me be the best man I can be,” Damon shared. “Graduating from this program was a highlight of my life because I knew when people saw me, they saw a success.”
After his graduation ceremony, Damon was approached by the owner of 317 BBQ, in Broad Ripple, who was in the audience. “They walked up to me and said, ‘Before you accept any other offer, we want to offer you a job.”
Damon works as the morning cook there now, opening the kitchen five days a week. His boss is the operations manager, Jeffery Hartfield – who also graduated from our CJT program in 2014 as a member of Class 75.
Damon, center, celebrates his graduation from Class 155 with our Chef Instructors this summer.
“Working with Jeff gives me a sense of what I could be in the future,” Damon said. “It’s crazy to see what happens when people believe in your dreams – it helps you believe in yourself.”
In addition to supporting the CJT program, your gift also provides meals to our neighbors this winter. A gift of less than $1.67 sends a meal to someone who needs it.
Damon also saw the impact of our Hunger Relief program while he was a student. “I was homeless at a point in my life, and I remember the hardest thing to find was food and water.”
When CJT students practice a dish as part of their training, they are welcome to take it home to share with their families. “I sometimes took my extra food across the street to [emergency day shelter] Horizon House to people sitting outside…I got to see people Second Helpings impacted, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment to be part of that mission.”
This fall, Second Helpings prepared an average of 5,000 meals a day. Meals are shared free of charge with over 100 partnering nonprofit organizations, like Horizon House. Your support helps us meet the need for food in our community and allows other nonprofits to focus on their core missions.
When we asked Damon about his goals for the future, he shared that he hopes to spend a day each month passing out food to people in need, wanting to pay forward the support he received at Second Helpings, thanks to supporters like you.
“I just can’t explain how much of a blessing you have been in my life,” Damon said. “I’m an ex-addict and former drug dealer. Before Second Helpings I don’t think I was a good person. But now I take responsibility for my actions and focus on how I can help others.
“You never gave up on me…Once I stopped getting in my own way and started accepting what Second Helpings had to give me, my whole life opened up.”
Damon’s story shows the power of what your gifts make possible at Second Helpings. With your help, we can provide this same support to more CJT students, more food to our partners, and prevent waste in our community.
You can provide a homemade meal for a hungry neighbor for less than $2.
Will you consider making a gift to support our most vulnerable neighbors this winter? On behalf of Second Helpings’ Board of Directors and staff, thank you for your continued support. We’re grateful for your commitment to our community.