Ever since she was a little girl, Juju (she/her) has drawn great joy and comfort from cooking. She grew up with the savory aromas of traditional Cambodian curries and stews wafting from the kitchen where she cooked alongside her grandmother, who fled her war-torn homeland decades ago.
Stories of the hardships and sacrifices Juju’s mother and father also faced as they left everything behind to give their children a better life in the United States have always reminded Juju to be grateful for everything she has.
Juju never took safety and stability for granted and never imagined she would lose everything, but one day she did. Someone she loved and trusted enough to welcome into her and her boys’ home turned violent in the midst of a relapse.
“I found myself in a situation where I had to think fast,” she recalled. “I had never been homeless before. This was a whole new journey for me. My kids had to stay with family while I tried to figure everything out and heal.”
Living in a Compass Housing Alliance women’s shelter was the first time in Juju’s life that she wasn’t able to cook. It made her feel both stuck and untethered — until her housing manager introduced her to FareStart. As soon as she interviewed for a spot in our Food Pathways Program, she knew she was headed in the right direction.
“Even when I cried myself to sleep at night, I would always look forward to waking up early and going to FareStart,” she said. “It gave me a foundation, a mindset of resettling, rebuilding and refocusing.”
During the scariest time in her life, FareStart was a safe place for Juju, a place where she always felt welcome and supported, even on rough days.
“There were days when I would come in and felt like I could conquer anything,” she said. “And there were days when I could hardly breathe.”
While culinary skills are a centerpiece of FareStart’s job training, the same is true for durable life skills like communicating effectively, team problem-solving, meditating to focus scattered thoughts, and coping with stressful situations. Juju learned she could be honest and even vulnerable about letting her supervisor and co-workers know when she needed some support.
“One day, I came in so drained (I couldn’t sleep the night before), I said, ‘Chef, I’m 20 percent today,’ and she said, ‘Juju, we’re going to give you that 80% today. Don’t let that break you. It’s just a minor setback for a major comeback.’”
When she struggled with kitchen math, Chef Casey (she/her), a FareStart graduate and now one of our kitchen trainers, gave her flashcards to help her gain confidence and get the ratios right. Juju excelled throughout the program and graduated early — with her two sons sitting proudly in the audience — and started working right away at a Korean barbeque restaurant.
When another job that suited her even better opened up in the kitchen of a regional hospital, she went for it, knowing that she didn’t have to settle for anything less than a job she loved to go to every day.
Juju dreams of running her own food truck someday. She already knows what she wants to call it: Love at First Rice. The menu will feature Cambodian classics like amok (a steamed fish curry) and dishes with the distinctly salty flavors of prahok (fermented fish paste).
“I’m blessed and so happy that FareStart was brought into my path and became part of my journey,” Juju said. “I’ll never forget how much support everyone gave me… I like to think of myself as a masterpiece who’s still trying to master peace. As I continue to collect the shattered piece of myself, I hope my story inspires others to see the vision and mission of FareStart.”
In 2024, nearly 120 students participated in the Food Pathways Program, which provides 12 weeks of free culinary training, a weekly cash stipend and support including mental health services, emergency housing stipends, food, job placement support and more. We are actively growing this program. If you know someone who could benefit from our program, please share this story or ask them to apply.
