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East End Katering

 

Entrepreneur: Lynn McGrath

Address:
158 North Street
Portland, ME 04101

Telephone:(207) 871-8810
FAX:(207) 828-9455
Email:aeastend@maine.rr

Grant Amount: $49,580

Mission Statement

The Mission of East End Katering is to develop a self-sustaining venture that will support its training programs which provides training and employment to low skilled adults who have an interest in the food service business.

East End Katering, which was developed in 1992, is part of The Family Workshop in Portland, Maine that supports adults and families in their journey from welfare to work.  East End Katering has two main income generating businesses, providing childcare meals and running a catering business.  The childcare meals division creates and distributes high quality, nutritious meals at competitive prices with a personalized, child-focused touch to childcare centers and provides training opportunities to adults with barriers to employment. The chef accommodates ethnic, religious and food allergy requests as needed. The Catering division provides high quality, delicious meals at competitive prices for companies, private functions, receptions, luncheons for companies and private gatherings.  

In addition to those goals, it also provides job training in its catering business to adults who wish to work in the restaurant and food industry. Many of its trainees have never held skilled positions in business. With the training and job experience they obtain through EEK the graduates from the job training programs can go on to hold down higher paying skilled jobs in the restaurant and food industries.

Purpose of Grant

The Great Bay grant is being used by EEK to obtain new equipment, pay stipends to students in the training program, and to expand its staff.

Additional Information

The East End Katering has had a 13-week job-training program that will expand to a 6-9 month training program.  This on the job training is targeted at adults who are interested in the food service field, may already have some experience in this field, or who demonstrate themselves as viable candidates for permanent employment in EEK.

There will also be job opportunities in other businesses through the network of the EEK Advisory Board, which is comprised in part of food service vendors and restaurant owners.