Each year, we award one outstanding DC Central Kitchen employee and graduate with our North Star scholarship to help them reach new career goals. This year, we were honored to recognize Manouchka Bolden, who enrolled at DC Central Kitchen in the fall of 2018 in search of one word – “change.”
As a mother of six, Manouchka wanted to set a new standard for her children. “They’re the reason I came to DCCK,” she says, sharing what she can tell them today: “If I can go to school and go to work and never miss a beat, you can, too.”
Since graduating from the Culinary Job Training program, Manouchka has carved out a path at DCCK, starting at the front desk and working her way to her current role as a Workforce Development Program Assistant. Every day, she connects with and tracks the success of graduates, and she has taken on leadership of the program’s weekly Women’s Empowerment classes.
With this scholarship, Manouchka plans to start coursework in counseling. “I want to be an advocate for women, especially those who have been abused or broken,” she says. “I want to be a voice.”
MORE ABOUT THE NORTH STAR AWARD
The annual North Star Award is given in honor of our long-time Culinary Job Training Director, Marianne Ali, who passed away in 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. The award serves as a reminder of Marianne’s legacy and our commitment to supporting the continued growth and professional development of our graduates.
This year’s award was generously sponsored by The Stand Together Foundation.