Giving Back Where It Began: Chef Micah’s Story

Today, Chef Micah volunteers weekly at Bread & Roses Café, serving meals and giving back to the same community that once supported him.

It is a full-circle role that reflects not only where he is now, but how far he has come.

Micah Wade, from Pomona, California, faced a difficult childhood marked by abuse and street life. At 16, he was tried as an adult and spent many years incarcerated before his release at 45. During that time, he began engaging with self-help resources and relationship programs that helped shift his mindset and open the door to a different future.

“Once my thinking changed, the bad behavior stopped. I didn’t want to be that person anymore.”

After his release, Micah joined a Male Community Reentry Program, where he earned his GED and began rebuilding his life. That path eventually led him to St. Joseph Center.

At a job fair, Micah discovered the Bread & Roses Training Kitchen, a program that offers culinary training, job readiness support, and a welcoming environment for people working toward greater stability. Through the program, he began working at Bread & Roses Café, where he built culinary skills while helping serve unhoused community members.

The experience gave Micah more than hands-on training. It gave him confidence, routine, and a renewed sense of purpose. He later earned an internship at UCLA and is now a full-time chef in dining services.

Even with a full-time career, Chef Micah continues to return to Bread & Roses Café each week as a volunteer. For him, giving back is a way to stay connected to the community that helped him move forward and to support others with the same care he once received.

“I had great support with St. Joseph Center. They helped me out so much. I didn’t know people were that nice, willing to talk to you and help you, and wanting to see you achieve and do great things. I’m so grateful.”

As St. Joseph Center marks 50 years of service, Micah’s story reflects the lasting power of opportunity, compassion, and community. It is also a reminder that volunteering can be deeply personal. Sometimes it is about showing up for the very place that once showed up for you.