Tyrone can’t believe that he is in his current position as a prep cook and dishwasher at Inspiration Kitchens – Garfield Park. A year ago, he had no work or permanent home and was staying with friends. His life has made a considerable turn for the better.
“I feel so blessed and amazed.”
Tyrone was born and raised on the West Side and always “wanted to be a part of something good”. His struggles with substance abuse and depression, however, have not always made that possible. He has always tried to hold onto a steady job which hasn’t always been an easy task. In 2008, after the death of his infant child, he fell into depression, and left a good job at a food processing plant.
Tyrone before his shift at Inspiration Kitchens – Garfield Park
Tyrone came to Inspiration Corporation last November, thrilled to have the opportunity to turn his life around. He had just become a new father in June, and was finding it difficult to get work and desperately needed to support his new family.
He heard about the Foodservice Training program from a friend of the family, and was glad to be a part of a regular routine again. He’d also heard that the program could be rigorous, but that didn’t scare Tyrone, as he appreciated the structured, small-class learning environment.
“I was thrilled to learn something new every day.”
Tyrone learned the basic skills with ease. He had watched his grandmother cook from an early age. He was always comfortable in the kitchen, and loves watching a smile come over someone’s face while sitting at a good meal.
“To be able to make a good meal for someone, especially my family, I just love it!”
Tyrone is thrilled to be working for the organization in a permanent capacity, but also has plans to go back to school this fall and get his certification as a health inspector. For now, to be able to feed his family of three is more than he could ever ask for.
“I’ve come a long way, and while life hasn’t been easy, I’m now joyful in my heart, and I thank God for the opportunity!”
UPDATE 4/22/14 – Great news for Tyrone, he just got a job as a dishwasher at Sweetwater Tavern and Grill. He’s replacing Roderick, another one of our Foodservice Training program graduates who started there in September, as he has been promoted to prep cook. Great job and congratulations to the both of them!