In 2016, Hephzibah created a Youth Advisory Board to offer teens living in foster care the opportunity to grow, learn and engage in the local community, and to give them a voice within Hephzibah. Guided by four pillars of service, leadership, life skills and team building, the skills enable the teens to plan, organize and direct monthly activities, presentations and outings with the goal of developing the essential life and job skills they will need as adults, after foster care.
The advisory board recently organized a professional development day for the teens to learn about the culinary field. The teens were guests of Paramount Events and Eden and had the opportunity to tour the restaurant, catering facility and greenhouse, and meet with members of the staff while they enjoyed a delicious brunch. Eden’s pastry chef Stefano Tulipano worked with the teens to create a dish that incorporated their favorite flavors. The resulting masterpiece was a chocolate mousse paired with a coconut pineapple sauce, pistachio gelato and angel food cake, which Eden then featured on its menu throughout the month of March. All proceeds from the dish were donated to Hephzibah. Paramount Events CEO Jodi Fyfe has been a longtime friend and donor to Hephzibah.
The experience was such a highlight that one of the teens was inspired to write the following to the Eden staff:
“I’ve been in youth advisory for almost two and a half years, and of all the places we have visited, I can honestly say that none of them have felt like home as much as Eden did. You have an amazing place and it is inspiring to see that you just want to keep building. Stefano is an amazing chef, but don’t tell anyone that pastries are my favorite part of a meal! Your baking is amazing and your personality is pleasing. I love all types of art including painting, singing, playing instruments, writing songs, and poetry, so to see you so passionate about your baking and cooking encourages me to be the best at what I really love too.”