MAKE Projects - San Diego Immigrant and Refugee Workforce Training
“Merging Agriculture Kitchens and Employment Projects”, better known as MAKE Projects, is helping address the refugee crisis in San Diego.
Imagine coming to the United States with only the clothes on your back, no knowledge of the english language, and your two children in hand. There are currently 80 million refugees across the globe, and since 1975 over 30,000 refugees from 29 countries have relocated to the San Diego area. San Diego County also estimates an increased average of 805 refugees per year have entered San Diego, a 25% increase from the 45 year average. These San Diego residents face a number of barriers to employment, turning their search for a better life, a struggle for survival.
MAKE’s journey began in 2015 as a project for the San Diego International Rescue Committee (IRC).
The IRC was looking at options to expand its popular community food projects such as; community gardens, farmers markets, aquaponic and incubator farms. MAKE was their attempt to leverage those capabilities to address employment challenges faced by refugees, immigrants and low-income individuals. By providing a cafe, farmers garden, catering, and events grown, prepared, served, and inspired by San Diego immigrant cultures. MAKE helps its trainees and participants build a new life.
Executive Director and Founder, Anchi Mei, is committed to transforming refugee women and children’s lives. The vast majority of MAKE participants, mostly refugee women and teens, rely on public benefits. MAKE Projects provides worker training through a community garden, kitchen, and café. Participants are paid more than minimum wage, learn marketable job skills, and brush up on their English while providing a cultural experience for their customers.
2020 was a particularly challenging year for MAKE.
Like many businesses, MAKE’s training and services were forced to stop due to COVID-19 restrictions. But since then, the MAKE Projects team, program, and business has emerged stronger and more successful than ever. In response to the closures, MAKE adapted its participant training to include digital literacy, and implemented credit card processing so they are no longer limited to cash only customers. The community garden and restaurant has gained extraordinary enthusiasm from refugee and immigrant communities; and in 2020 was able to serve more clients than the year before with 77% graduating with a job already lined up.
Before entering SAIL, MAKE’s revenue was 85% dependent on grants, leaving their business model somewhat unstable. Grants are not always predictable or certain and can leave organizations wondering if they will be able to remain operational, let alone expand their impact. SAIL helped Anchi and her team create a plan to double their earned revenue by 2022. Anchi predicts they will be earning 75% of their revenue through sales by 2024 and will be able to serve even more of San Diego’s refugee population with the updated business model.
With the tools and lessons from SAIL, MAKE is determined to expand their impact, scale their business, and build a more inclusive San Diego.
You can learn more about MAKE Projects by visiting their website, www.sdmake.org.
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