“Yes, Chef!” The Innovative Partnership of Tierra del Sol and National Health Foundation’s Arleta Kitchen
Tierra del Sol has embarked on a new journey with National Health Foundation (NHF) to serve the San Fernando Valley’s most fragile population of unhoused senior citizens and low-income families. The Recuperative Care Center, located in Arleta, is a 43,000 square foot, state-of-the-art housing complex with 148 beds that provides interim and short-term housing for community members in need.
Angie Negrete, Director of NHF Arleta Recuperative Care, explains, “Our interim housing guests come from programs like the Los Angeles Homeless Authority housing queue, while our recuperative guests come from hospital and insurance partners and are with us for a shorter stay. For both groups, we focus on helping people get back on their feet and into permanent housing. In some cases, we’re also able to support family reunification.” At its current capacity, the center has over 100 guests who receive three meals a day. Mario Ledesma, Arleta’s Chef and Kitchen Supervisor, shares, “Preparing such a high volume of meals takes a consistent pace from a strong crew. We support the dietary and nutritional well-being of our residents and prepare fresh dishes that are lowsodium and nutrient-rich.”
With 20 years of experience in food service and preparation training, Tierra was approached by NHF in 2023 to inquire about creating a partnership where associates would work in the kitchen to prepare and serve food. At that time, the center was in the early stages of development, which gave Tierra time to continue training associates who were eager to step in and take on the challenge of joining Arleta’s fast-paced kitchen crew. Negrete exclaims, “We love Tierra! Arleta operates 365 days a year, and we are nearing full capacity, so Tierra associates have been instrumental in making our kitchen services a success. Tierra provides quality interns and mentors who help us operate our kitchen with complete confidence and meet the needs of the people we serve. They are fast learners and eager to grow! And I also appreciate how they get to know the Arleta guests and staff. It’s been a great experience so far, and we are grateful for all the help they have provided. As NHF’s programs and services are expanding in the coming year, so will our partnership with Tierra. It’s been almost a year since the partnership began and it has already exceeded expectations.”
This April, NHF hired Rodney Monroe and Rony Giron, who were both interning in the Arleta Kitchen. Erika Garcia, Master Instructor in Tierra’s Workforce Development program, shared, “Rodney and Rony focused on developing their skills—from dishwashing and food prep to nutrition and serving.” They received valuable mentorship from both their NHF supervisors and Tierra staff. Their hard work paid off, and now they’re working full-time, Monday through Friday. Congratulations, gentlemen, we are so proud of you!”
Flor Garcia, Workforce Development Program Manager, shares, “We’ve always seen guests at Arleta being treated with dignity and respect no matter what their hardship, which has been powerful for Tierra interns to experience. For some of the interns who have been here since the beginning, they’ve come out of their shells. There have been so many great relationships built at Arleta, and the atmosphere is continuously welcoming.” Tierra strives to create a world where everyone is seen for who they truly are. Regardless of perceived disability, all people have the right to live productive and personally meaningful lives. Through our partnership with NHF’s Arleta Housing program, we are proud to align our visions—creating a world where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Together, we are building an inclusive community that heals, supports, and uplifts—making us stronger and more resilient than ever before.
