The Washington State University Tri-Cities-based Cougar Tracks program is helping a local organization provide its female employees with the skills they will need to succeed in the workforce.
Cougar Tracks offers programs that bridge gaps between industry needs and workforce training, providing practical solutions that address the unique challenges faced by local industry, minorities, and underrepresented communities. Courses in the program are geared toward various employment levels and are offered online and on-demand, making it easy for local businesses to utilize the courses as onboarding tools, or to upskill and reskill their workforce.
The program recently provided training to 16 female employees of Grace Kitchen, a business located in downtown Pasco that provides sanctuary employment and resources that help women exit trafficking, addiction, incarceration, homelessness, and poverty.
The women took the Cougar Tracks’ Cultivating Service Excellence (CSE) course, which covers topics associated with professionalism, personal accountability, and effective customer service. The opportunity enabled them to learn valuable tools they can apply to their current roles and carry with them after graduating from the Grace Kitchen program.
“I feel more confident in helping customers when they come in,” one employee explained. “I can still be myself but now I’m more mindful of how I would want to be treated.”
Grace Kitchen houses a catering company while also making homemade artisan pasta and BBQ rubs that are sold online and in stores. Each product from Grace Kitchen is crafted by the women they serve in exchange for professional development opportunities, living wages, a supportive community, and a fresh start.
What I realized is that these women are incredibly isolated, they are pushed to the margins of our society, and they’ve missed so many opportunities in their life.
Amanda Lorraine, founder
Grace Kitchen
Grace Kitchen was founded by Amanda Lorraine, who was inspired by her own story of escaping poverty and addiction. After spending several years volunteering with similar organizations, Lorraine noticed that the same women would frequently return in need of assistance, unable to escape their destructive cycles.
“What I realized is that these women are incredibly isolated, they are pushed to the margins of our society, and they’ve missed so many opportunities in their life,” she said. “They needed this sanctuary workplace where they can come just as they are, and they can have a safe place to grow and to learn to work and communicate and build community.”
Other Grace Kitchen participants in the Cougar Tracks program commented that they learned the importance of first impressions that are made through body language, facial expressions, and vocal tone.
“[The courses] are a really valuable tool that they are going to be able to put into their toolbox when they graduate the Grace Kitchen program and move into their next career. It’s a lightbulb moment for them, and it is truly foundational,” Lorraine said.
Each Grace Kitchen employee who participated in the CSE course was funded through scholarships provided by Visit Tri-Cities, created in partnership with the cities of Pasco, Richland, and Kennewick to enhance professional growth in the community.
“Our local businesses need as many resources as they can get, and this program is really going to help them keep those employees, stay open, and help them get more revenue,” said Hector Cruz, vice president of development and community engagement at Visit Tri-Cities.
Plans for future collaboration between Grace Kitchen and WSU Tri-Cities are already underway, and a workshop based on the CSE course will soon be available for Grace Kitchen employees to further apply learned skills in group exercises and discussions.
Michelle Hrycauk Nassif, director of Cougar Tracks, emphasized that the passion and dedication shown by the employees of Grace Kitchen exemplified the profound impact of both organizations’ shared mission of community success.
“At WSU Tri-Cities, we see firsthand how empowering women through education and skill-building can ignite lasting change,” she said. “Within the Tri-Cities community, the Cougar Pride is so strong — once a Coug always a Coug. Now those women are in that community, when they may not have otherwise had that opportunity.”
There are currently ten Cougar Tracks courses available for individuals to enroll in, covering a range of subjects. More information about the Cougar Tracks course offerings are available online.
