In a move to expand educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth, Rebekah Children’s Services announced a new partnership with Gavilan College that will allow students in their Kneaded Culinary Academy to earn college credit and certification starting this fall.
The three-way collaboration was unveiled during a community celebration May 8 at MOHI Ranch in downtown Morgan Hill. The event was catered by the Kneaded students themselves to showcase the culinary talents developed under the program.
“Rebekah Children’s Services has been at the forefront of serving the community of Gilroy and South County and Santa Clara county at large for over 127 years,” said Chris Rebboah, CEO of the organization. “We are so thrilled that you can join us tonight to celebrate the work that we do, and how impactful that work is.”
The partnership addresses a long-standing goal for Gavilan College while expanding opportunities for youth enrolled in the culinary program.
“Gavilan College has been serving this community since 1919,” said Dr. Pedro Avila, Gavilan College President. “For over 100 years, we have been serving these communities, and we’re fully committed to providing higher educational opportunities, opportunities for upward mobility for our communities.”
The new collaboration builds on Gavilan’s expansion goals while leveraging established culinary expertise at Rebekah Children’s Services.
“This collaboration is really exciting, because we have always wanted our own culinary program, but why recreate the wheel when you have an amazing chef, Chef Carlos?” Avila said.
Chef Carlos Pineda, Director of Culinary Services and Hospitality at Kneaded, emphasized the community aspect of the program. “It takes a village to create this community, and food for us creates community,” he said.
Pineda also acknowledged the team effort behind the program’s success, including its executive sponsor, Gale Jocelyn.
“This beautiful woman has created so many opportunities for our youth, and she continues to deliver so many things every day,” he said. “It takes a village, and I can’t do it without our RCS team, our Kneaded team, our partners, our collaborators, our families who hear us, our partners who listen to us, our bosses who guide us and empower us.”
Rebekah Children’s Services, founded in 1897, provides comprehensive support services including mental health treatment, foster care, adoption support and vocational training to at-risk youth and families throughout the region.
Rebboah described the organization’s approach to their work: “We serve those children, youth and families who are most disadvantaged in our community. We don’t just serve them, we walk beside them. We love them, we hold their hand, we cry with them, we celebrate with them.”
The nonprofit focuses on helping children overcome significant challenges.
“Horrendous abuse of all kinds, estrangement from the world, and we lean in and step in and say, ‘We’re here with you, we’re here for you, and we’re not going to leave you,’” Rebboah said. “That is the commitment that we have.”
The impact of these programs was illustrated by 17-year-old Davian Garza, who shared his personal journey from family struggles with addiction and abuse to finding purpose through the culinary program.
“I have had a long journey, and it has been far from easy, but I stand here tonight with hope, with purpose, and with the support of a community that has helped me find my path,” Garza said. “From ages 5-10, I was in and out of schools and homes, my parents struggled with addiction, my dad with cocaine, meth and cannabis, and my mom with her own battles. They tried to make things work, but addiction tore our family apart.”
After years of instability and struggling with depression, Garza found his way to Mt. Madonna continuation school, where he discovered the Kneaded Culinary Academy.
“It was a turning point in my life,” he said. “I met Chef Carlos, Chef Andrew and Lorenzo, who welcomed me with open arms and saw in me something I hadn’t seen in myself. They believed in me, and for the first time, I started believing in myself.”
The partnership aims to create more success stories like Garza’s by formalizing the educational component of the culinary training. Students who complete the program will now receive both practical skills and recognized academic credentials.
“Starting in the fall semester, all students that go through Carlos’s culinary academy will receive Gavilan credit, and eventually they will get a certificate from Gavilan College for their completion,” Avila said. “It’s an amazing partnership, a win-win for everybody.”
The event concluded with County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas presenting Chef Pineda with a commendation for his work with youth in the community.
Pineda credited the success of the program to the collaborative relationships that have developed.
“It’s not always easy,” he admitted. “But I’ve learned from all of them, and they have mentored me as much as I have mentored them. We learn from all of these individuals.”
Garza, who has now completed his high school requirements six months early, stands as a testament to the program’s effectiveness.
“I am proud to say that I have completed my requirements to graduate six months ahead of schedule,” he said.
