The Los Angeles LGBT Center has been awarded a $300,000 grant spanning two years from the Eisner Foundation to support its culinary arts program, an intergenerational training program for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness and low-income LGBT seniors.

The 300-hour program teaches basic culinary skills at the center’s commercial kitchen in the Anita May Rosenstein Campus in Hollywood. Participants help prepare up to 450 meals per day for the center’s youth and senior clients. The program also includes a 100-hour internship at local restaurants, catering companies and food service businesses.

The Eisner Foundation made a previous $500,000 gift to the center for an intergenerational courtyard garden on the two-acre campus.

“Our unique culinary arts program is helping our youth and seniors thrive in the food and hospitality industries thanks to the generosity of the Eisner Foundation,” said Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean. “Nearly a quarter of the 65,000 LGBT seniors in Los Angeles County live on $999 or less each month, and many of them are faced with the decision to re-enter the job market. On the other side of the spectrum, nearly 60 % of our youth members experiencing homelessness have told us they remain on the streets primarily because they cannot secure employment.”

The culinary arts program was the conceived by celebrity chef Susan Feniger, a board member for the center. It is taught by Executive Chef Janet Crandall, Executive Sous Chef Shirley Cho and Sous Chef Arlita Miller with Nick Panepinto serving as the program’s director of culinary training and operations. To date, 41 students have already enrolled in the culinary arts program.

“We’re so pleased that the Los Angeles LGBT Center has embraced intergenerational connection as a core value at their new campus,” said Trent Stamp, CEO of the Eisner Foundation. “This culinary training program is a great example of how intergenerational efforts can enhance an organization’s impact in a creative new way and we hope others are inspired to follow the center’s lead.”

For information, visit lalgbtcenter.org.