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PHILIPSBURG:--- Hearts United Holistic Care Foundation (HUHCF) launched its Second Chance Hospitality Pilot Project on April 4th, 2023. This project is funded by the St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF). After receiving our application, there were motivated to get this project off the ground even in its state of financial challenges in meeting the demands of its existing clientele.

Classes are held two days per week for 2 hours from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm and have a total of 11 students.

Introduction:
The Community Hospitality & Recreational Intermediate Skills Training (C.H.R.I.S.T.) program was inspired by post-Hurricane Irma's social deprivation in St. Maarten. The program aims to help marginalized and disenfranchised individuals by providing them with training in the tourism and hospitality industry, giving them purpose, hope, and employment opportunities.

Background:
The facilitator for the program is Mr. Early Charlemagne, a Dutch national with extensive experience in the hospitality industry. Charlemagne is an experienced and qualified Hospitality Facilitator certified by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AH&LEi). He is passionate about teaching and sharing his knowledge to uplift and improve the lives of marginalized individuals in St. Maarten.

Program Details:
The pilot program offers training for 10 participants, selected through one-on-one interviews with the program initiator. The training lasts 6 months and is divided into three main components: Tourism & Hospitality Basics, Tourism & Hospitality Specialization, and Extra Curricular Activities. Participants must complete all courses in each segment to receive a course completion certificate from C.H.R.I.S.T. & AH&Lei.

Goal and Objective:
The program aims to provide a second chance to marginalized and disenfranchised persons by empowering them through hospitality skills training, ultimately increasing their chances of acquiring jobs and improving their quality of life. The goal is to graduate a significant percentage of trainees within 12 months and mold them into well-trained and qualified frontline tourism and hospitality staff for the job market in St. Maarten.

HUHCF is appealing to the businesses, to be prepared to accept these individuals for their practical training and to add them to their staff upon completion of the program as they will be certified.

Thank you once again to SMDF, the Board, Director, and the volunteers of HUHCF. A special Thank You to Ms. Maria Chemont, our in-house counselor, for assisting with the social aspect of these individuals in such a professional and emphatical manner, we are already seeing light in some of these persons who hail from all walks of life on St. Maarten.

HUHCF now has several projects which includes, Adopt A Grandparent which bridges the gap between the youth and the elderly, Seniors feeding project, Youth Empowerment, Adult Literacy, Marriage Counselling, and now our Second Chance Hospitality Project. Contact us on telephone #523-8460/523-0901 or email: heartsunitedcare2020@gmail.com and follow us Facebook @heartsunitedcare and Instagram: @heartsunitedcare2020.