Chef Sarah

At Bread and Roses, Sarah received more than meals—she found a stepping stone towards a better future.

Growing up in the South, Sarah learned the importance of empathy, compassion, and community. When she found herself where she never thought she’d be—homeless in Los Angeles, living in her car behind Ralph’s grocery store—she looked for solace by helping a friend in Venice. That’s how she found her way to St. Joseph Center’s Homeless Service Center (HSC) and met a caring staff team who could help her with her struggles. At HSC, Sarah found refuge and was connected to case management and mental health support. She signed up for medical services at the Venice Family Clinic and became a Bread and Roses Café guest. At Bread and Roses, Sarah received more than meals—she found a stepping stone towards a better future. Determined to turn her life around, she enrolled in the Bread & Roses Training Kitchen, a job training program offered by St. Joseph Center.

Despite her challenging past and COVID-19 limitations, Sarah’s determination and perseverance held steady. She honed her culinary skills, graduated from the Training Kitchen, and found permanent housing in South LA through A Bridge Home, where she transitioned through the City Bridge to Subsidy and Time-Limited Subsidy Programs.

Chef Sarah, smiling brightly with curly salt-and-pepper hair and clear glasses, gazes upward under a blue sky. She’s wearing a colorful, patterned top in red, blue, and purple.
Today, Sarah is a full-time employee at the Bread & Roses Training Kitchen, supporting students on their own paths to stability. To Sarah, this is more than just a job. It is a community where she feels valued and appreciated. It is a place where she can inspire others to live with empathy and compassion, just like she does.

It is a place where she can inspire others to live with empathy and compassion, just like she does.

← Back to Testimonials