The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation Announces Q2 FY 2015 Community Partner Grant Recipients

The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation is pleased to announce that 10 organizations have recently been awarded grants through the Foundation’s Community Partners program for the second quarter of 2015. Community Partners are change agents within human services that are either delivering innovative care or developing new ideas and models for doing so. They are results oriented, leveraging resources and knowledge to positively impact individuals and communities and transform society’s vision of and approach to its most vulnerable members.

Among the Q2 Community Partners is the Lied Discovery Museum and Opportunity Village in Las Vegas, NV.

Lied Discovery Museum

YouthWorks

Lied Discovery Museum’s YouthWorks program makes a lifelong impact on at-risk youth (14-22) by providing job readiness workshops, trainings, homework support and on-the-floor, “real life” work experiences as volunteers and paid internships. This is done through their interaction with exploratory, scientific and technical exhibits, museum professionals, and museum visitors. All activities are offered in the multidisciplinary museum, located within Las Vegas. A grant from The Foundation will support approximately 160 at-risk teens through this program during the 2015-2016 year.

Opportunity Village (Las Vegas, NV)

Food Service Training Program for Nevadans with Intellectual Disabilities

Through vocational training, community employment, day services, advocacy, arts and social recreation, Opportunity Village (OV) offers citizens with disabilities a chance to realize future career paths, seek independence and community integration and unleash creative passions. The Food Service Training Program is a unique vocational training program that builds upon OV’s Community Employment Opportunities Program. Its curriculum was designed in collaboration with the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas to meet the southern Nevada hospitality industry’s needs. Skills training is customized to meet the learning styles and varied abilities of adults with intellectual disabilities. Participants will learn food preparation, basic cooking and baking skills, banquet setup and breakdown, line service, and banquet service at OV’s two commercial-grade kitchens. They will also learn important life skills such as nutrition, grocery shopping, money management and healthy food choices. Job opportunities will be developed with business partners who will hire program participants. OV will also offer follow-along services to help ensure employment success. Funds from The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation will go toward items necessary to provide hands-on food service, food preparation and cooking instruction. These items include cutting boards, bowls, pots and pans, utensils, knives, gloves, aprons, and food.

About the Community Partners Program

For more information and to learn about the other Q2 Community Partners, visit the Community Partners section of our Charitable Foundation website.