CCJ's Presents Nickle & Dimed 2/29-3/3

Three years ago, Chef Bryan Nowicki took a stand against his alcohol addiction. As he often tells it, he had learned to work hard and party harder while working as a chef and bartender for over 25 years in Phoenix, Seattle, and Las Vegas. He came home to Prescott to sober up. One day he wandered into Open Door, a program of the nonprofit Coalition for Compassion and Justice (CCJ) which provides meals, toiletries, and a connection to work for low-income and homeless people. He tasted the food and knew he could do better. Soon he was the executive chef of Open Door, cooking delicious dishes like roasted chicken enchiladas and black bean Caesar salad. He began holding fundraising luncheons for CCJ on the first Friday of every month in Esther Hall of the Prescott United Methodist Church. Recognizing the potential for a sustainable source of income for CCJ, in 2010 Bryan launched CCJ Catering, a full-service nonprofit enterprise which caters everything from business lunches to Gala-style events. The revenue raised from catering events goes toward CCJ’s services for low-income individuals and families. In addition to this funding, CCJ Catering acts in another way to serve people facing hard times. To help unemployed and skill-poor people, Chef Bryan created a food service mentor program. Bryan teaches food preparation and sanitation, as well as more basic job skills like punctuality. His students must have a strong work ethic. At the end of the program, the students receive a letter of recommendation from Chef Bryan. Four students graduated the mentor program in 2010, and the Chef is currently mentoring another two.