Garces Foundation
The immigrant community in Philadelphia has always been near and dear to Chef Garces’ heart. As a child of immigrants and a leader in an industry that is heavily comprised of immigrant workers—restaurants and hospitality—Chef Garces co-founded the Garces Foundation in 2011. Its mission is to provide services and education in relation to healthcare, language skills, and general wellbeing for one of Philadelphia’s most underserved populations.
Think Local, Give Local
The Latin-American immigrant community faces considerable healthcare accessibility hurdles, which are exacerbated by limitations to necessary educational services that teach English proficiency. Philadelphia’s Spanish-speaking immigrants struggle to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers, and often have trouble obtaining health insurance, and accessing healthcare.
The Garces Foundation provides these services to the immigrant community, through community health days, English language classes targeted toward the restaurant industry, and most recently, an increased focus on procuring and providing food supplies to the food-insecure.
Three Key Ingredients
The Garces Foundation aims to achieve its mission through these three distinct programs.
English for the Restaurant and Everyday Living (EREL)
English for the Restaurant and Everyday Living is designed to teach English to non-native speakers who work in the restaurant industry. Beyond helping people maximize successful communication in their workplaces, the 12-week program also helps students develop their career advancement skills, and utilize community resources, like healthcare programs, to improve their overall wellbeing.
Community Health Days
Each quarter, the Garces Foundation holds a Community Health Day to provide aid to the immigrant community of Philadelphia, many of whom are uninsured. Furthermore, the Garces Dental Group offers free dental and medical care to immigrants on four Saturdays per year. Services include oral exams, cleanings, x-rays, and fillings, and cholesterol screenings, physicals, HIV and breast cancer education and screenings. Patients can also fill their prescriptions and take away literature that will help them maximize their health.
Workforce Training
The Garces Foundation also offers a number of workforce training classes, through which students can learn important culinary skills that will help them achieve back-of-house restaurant positions. These classes are specifically geared toward helping students learn how to succeed in the restaurant industry, and ultimately work their way into front-of-house or chef positions.