Darden Restaurants ProStart The program’s growth created the need for a  larger facility with a commercial kitchen, and  a Darden Restaurants Foundation grant helped  pay for the new kitchen’s equipment. In part- nership with the Kid’s Cafe Program of America’s  Second Harvest food banks, H.O.P.E Farm  feeds the children a hot meal every day after  school, and in the summer provides breakfast,  lunch, and a snack.  “What we do at H.O.P.E. Farm is address the  spirit, mind, and body of these children. Darden  has helped us address a major component of  that,” Randle says. The Darden Restaurants Foundation grant  also helped fund “Popcorn Flicks,” an outdoor  cinema series offering family-friendly classic  films at a park in the heart of the city’s down- town. “There’s just a wonderful community  aspect to this series,” Tiedtke says. “People of  all ages and socio-economic groups bring  their blankets, have picnics and visit with  each other. It really is just a lovely time with  family and friends.  “We aspire to bring great stories to the com- munity, stories that make our lives more  meaningful,” Tiedtke says. “We see ourselves  as a window to a world of expanded respect,  wisdom, and creativity.” The event has attracted hundreds of young  people to the industry. “Showcase of the Stars  gives students a wonderful chance to experi- ence a world of opportunities in this industry,”  says McShane. Many minority youths are unaware of the  diverse career options the restaurant and  foodservice industry offers. The Showcase of  the Stars hopes to change that. “Many of the  students we talk to don’t really know much  about the multitude of opportunities in this  industry,” says IRA President Colleen McShane.  “Most know about being chefs, but many are  surprised to learn there are management  opportunities, as well as jobs in software design,  facilities management, finance, accounting,  and other restaurant-related support jobs.” Through Showcase of the Stars, minority  and economically disadvantaged high school  students learn about careers in the restaurant  industry from top restaurant and foodservice  industry professionals who are also minorities.  The traveling event was created by the non- profit trade group, Multicultural Foodservice  & Hospitality Alliance, to promote the many  career opportunities available in the restau- rant, foodservice, and lodging industries. In many communities throughout the world,  people depend on lobster for their livelihood.  Not only is it a source of food, but it also  provides jobs and income. The world’s desire  for this delectable crustacean, though, has put  enormous pressure on the population of the  spiny lobster, one of the most valuable fishery  species in the Caribbean.  Unlike shrimp, many types of fish, and even  scallops, scientists have never been able to  “farm” lobsters from egg to adult using aqua- culture. But, Dr. Craig Dahlgren, Senior  Research Scientist at the Perry Institute for  Marine Science/Caribbean Marine Research  Center, says a grant from the Darden  Restaurants Foundation is helping the Institute  make progress in this area. “We’re focusing  our research on the Bahamas and Belize  That mission dovetails perfectly with the  goals of the Darden Restaurants Foundation  and the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA)  Educational Foundation, which focuses on  building Illinois’ hospitality workforce through  career exploration programs, scholarships,  and other programs. The Darden Restaurants  Foundation funded a grant to enable the IRA  Educational Foundation to bring the Showcase  of the Stars to Illinois students. Since its inception, Enzian has screened more  than 3,375 films to more than one million  people, which puts plenty of wear and tear on  its facilities. “We desperately needed to refur- bish it and replace the tables and chairs,” says  Theater President Sigrid Tiedtke. “A Darden  Restaurants Foundation grant helped us fur- nish a good part of the redo of our theatre,  and we’re thrilled about that.”  The theater also hosts various multi-cultural  film festivals, which celebrate Florida’s finest  independent film and video makers and provide  a view of diverse cultures, while illuminating  the commonalities we all share. Since 1985, the Enzian Theater in Maitland,  Florida, has aspired to entertain, inspire, edu- cate, and connect the community through film.  Enzian is the oldest full-time, not-for-profit  cinema in Florida, and also sponsors the Florida  Film Festival, recently recognized as one of  the world’s top 10 film festivals.  SUSTAINING OUR NATURAL  RESOURCES Perry Institute for Marine Science Showcase of the Stars EDUCATING FUTURE LEADERS ENRICHING THE COMMUNITY  THROUGH ART & CULTURE Enzian Theater 19  Darden Restaurants