Dream North Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Program

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

LAUSD (select only if you have a district-wide partnership) City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit)

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Foster and systems-impacted youth in Los Angeles face deep barriers to employment, income stability, and long-term economic opportunity. Many age out of care without access to mentorship, job training, or paid experience—leading to high rates of poverty, instability, and unemployment. At the same time, the food industry offers a viable path to upward mobility, yet remains largely inaccessible to youth lacking formal training or support. This gap is not about talent—it’s about access. The Dream North Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Pilot closes that gap by providing hands-on instruction, paid apprenticeships, and trauma-informed support. Partnering with Maple Counseling for mental health referrals and Lemoore College for long-term training pathways, the program tackles both immediate income inequality and broader youth economic advancement.

The Dream North Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Pilot is a 12-month workforce development initiative serving 50 foster and systems-impacted youth in Los Angeles. It includes a 12-week hands-on culinary training and classroom instruction period, followed by nine months of paid, on-the-job apprenticeship with employer partner Something Good 2 Eat. Participants will learn foundational kitchen skills, food safety, and culinary techniques while also gaining soft skills like time management, communication, and professionalism.
Dream North will provide stipends during the training phase, paid apprenticeship placement, and ongoing mentorship. Maple Counseling will offer trauma-informed mental health referrals as needed, and Lemoore College will serve as a training and advisory partner, supporting alignment with long-term education and apprenticeship goals.
The pilot serves as a proof of concept for a scalable, equity-driven model. By connecting systems-impacted youth to real work experience and holistic support, the program builds economic resilience and advances career access for those too often left behind.

If successful, the Dream North Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Pilot will show that foster and systems-impacted youth can thrive with access to paid training, mentorship, and mental health support. Los Angeles will gain a replicable workforce model rooted in trauma-informed care and economic inclusion. Participants will move toward stable careers, lowering risks of homelessness or justice involvement. Employers like Something Good 2 Eat will benefit from trained, motivated talent. Partnerships with Maple Counseling and Lemoore College extend the impact beyond one year—connecting youth to long-term education, wellbeing, and employment. Over time, this work can help transform how LA supports transition-age youth.