Giving Compass' Take:

• Great Nonprofits profiles the workers at a local cafe in its Redwood Shores' neighborhood that employs graduates of a nonprofit training program.

• How might these stories inspire other social enterprises? In what ways can we expand workforce development programs?

• Here's more on how to build new bridges to the future of work and learning.

On my first day working for GreatNonprofits, I was taken to lunch at Rendezvous Cafe, our neighbor in Redwood Shores’ Sobrato Center for Nonprofits. I learned from my coworkers that Rendezvous is a social enterprise operated by JobTrain, a career training nonprofit. In addition to serving healthy, delicious food, Rendezvous Cafe offers valuable work experience to graduates of JobTrain’s culinary program.

I eat lunch at Rendezvous almost every day; I’m a huge fan of their Udon Bowl and their Breakfast Burrito. But even richer than the food are the people making it.

"I work with a low-income group of kids in Oakland through my church," says Lonnie. "I’m a member of Beebe Cathedral, which is one of the largest Black, Methodist churches in the Bay Area. I love children, and our children of the world — we have to build them the right away. We got to show them love. It’s our fault if our children aren’t doing alright. There’s a lot of kids in this country who don’t even get a chance."

Read the full article about the faces behind the food at Rendezvous Cafe by Ian Anstee at GreatNonprofits.