Kula wins award from state for economic development
Is 'wonderful testament' to all who helped make the café a reality
Kula Café has received one of the 2014 Excellence in Housing and Economic Development awards from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, according to a release from café owners.
The café, a community restaurant and job training program in Asbury Park, was one of two winners in the category of Leading Public-Private Economic Development Partnership. The other winner was the Landis MarketPlace in Vineland.
Staff members went to Atlantic City to accept the award on Sept. 23 at the 2014 Governor’s Conference on Housing and Economic Development.
“The award is a wonderful testament to all those who helped make the Kula Café a reality – from the generous funders who provided the capital to build and equip the café, to the financial supporters that subsidize the training of our hospitality program participants, to the members of the community and friends of Interfaith Neighbors that patronize the café,” Paul McEvily, Interfaith’s associate director, said in the release. “We appreciate and thank them all.”
Interfaith Neighbors shared the award with its partners in the Kula program: the city of Asbury Park, the Workforce Investment Board of Monmouth County, PepsiCo of Asbury Park and Marilyn Schlossbach/Kitschens Catering, the release stated.
Located at 1201 Springwood Ave., the café opened in April 2013 and trains young people who may have faced employment barriers in the past to get jobs in the shore area restaurant and hospitality industry.
Chefs Wendy Escobedo [shown above] and James McNulty manage the restaurant which is open for breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except Monday.
“There is a notion that a difficult life builds character,” Roger Boyce, director of Interfaith Neighbors’ Business Development Center, said in the release. “I say a life with opportunity builds character. Once these kids believe that there’s real opportunity, it unlocks motivation. Then, anything’s possible.”
For more information, visit www.njhousingconference.com.
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