Watch CBS News

Jefferson Award Special: Bay Area Job Creators

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Each week, CBS 5 and KCBS broadcast the stories of the Jefferson Award winners, sharing the projects and progress of those working tirelessly to serve others. And in this fragile economy, the programs that help guide people through education and job training are critical. Here are some of the ways these people with an extraordinary sense of giving are helping everyone else build a better future:

Barrie Hathaway: years ago, Barrie was lucky enough to get help in his career. Now he's giving back as Executive Director of The Stride Center, a non-profit that provides training, work experience, and job placement for hundreds of students launching new careers in technology. The Stride Center - http://www.stridecenter.org/ Twitter: @stridecenter

Yvonne Nair: Yvonne is personally familiar with the struggles of just getting by on odd jobs, so she created the non-profit Saffron Strand to prepare the homeless for jobs they love. Members learn job and social skills, get help with wellness and housing, and gain experience organizing Saffron's events. Saffron Strand - saffronstrand.org

Bruce Fisher: Bruce's lifelong commitment to helping youth is stronger than ever after 25 years at the helm of Huckleberry Youth Programs. Under his leadership, Huckleberry has expanded from a runaway shelter to incorporate a myriad of programs for health, education, and justice. Huckleberry Youth Programs - http://www.huckleberryyouth.org Twitter: @HuckleberrySF

Martin Linder: Martin may teach at San Francisco State, but some of his most inspiring work is with the younger set at San Francisco high schools. That's where he launched iDo, or Industrial Design Outreach, to promote industrial design among teens and ignite the creativity of a new generation. iDo - http://industrialdesignoutreach.org/

Betty Ewing: As a professional chef and restaurant owner, it was easy for Betty to realize the kitchen can be a great classroom. So she launched the El Cajon Project to give at-risk a youth a taste of the culinary industry, giving them a place to earn school credit and perfect skills that can last a lifetime. The El Cajon Project - www.elcajonproject.org Twitter: @ElCajonProject

Cathryn Couch: As a professional chef, Cathryn devised the ideal recipe for supporting her Sonoma County community: train students to cook healthy, organic food, and deliver the meals to seriously ill patients. The Ceres Community Project was born and has now served 900 families more than 130,000 meals. Julie Burford and Ann Wathen expanded the project to Marin. The Ceres Community Project - www.ceresproject.org

Kimberly Bryant: Kimberly wants to see more women of color join her in the STEM fields - science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. So she founded Black Girls Code to give girls the hands-on training technical to spark their interest and prepare them for higher education and future careers. Black Girls Code: www.blackgirlscode.com Twitter: @BlackGirlsCode

Nicole Felix: Even though she has a degree in accounting, it's not all about the numbers for Nicole. As a volunteer with The Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP), she introduces teenagers to the professional world with field trips and college visits. And with her L.I.F.E. Courses nonprofit, she hosts a youth conference for education planning. L.I.F.E. Courses: www.lifecoursesinc.org Twitter: @LIFECourses7

Use this link to nominate your own local hero for a Jefferson Award

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.