St. John’s will give formerly homeless women with children the opportunity to gain work experience and become more self sufficient with its new restaurant, Plates Cafe and Catering. St. John’s Shelter Program for Women & Children celebrated its anniversary on Thursday along with the grand opening of Plates. Guest speakers such as Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Assemblywoman Alyson Huber and Mayor Kevin Johnson attended, along with 350 supporters from the community.

"Plates is  a very, very special place,” Matsui said. “It provides a place, a structure, a sanctuary.”

After graduating from the 90-day program at St. John’s Shelter, Plates trains women with skills in the food service, catering, retail, and hospitality industries.

The 90-day program works with women on a one-on-one basis and sets up weekly and monthly goals. The women are required to attend classes and workshops each week and to do community service. Services and classes include domestic violence counseling, mental health counseling, drug and alcohol treatment, weekly health services from a nurse, parenting classes, fitness and nutrition, employment services, art therapy, budgeting and financial management class, and other self-development classes. “Some women are able to start at Plates before the 90-day period is over,” said Rachele Burton, Community and Government Relations Manager at St. John’s.

The women work 25 hours a week for six months, create their own resumes and interview for the positions at Plates. “There are four paid employees at Plates,” said Michele Steeb, Executive Director at St. John’s. “20 women make this happen. They are leaving a state of dependency and becoming independent.”

Reverend Scot Sorensen from St. John’sLutheran Church was in attendance and talked about the need for this shelter and the church opened St. John’s Shelter almost 25 years ago, on Nov. 1, 1985.

St. John’s had been looking for a business for a while,  to make more revenue and become more self-sufficient. St. John’s sought out the help of MBA students at Intel to analyze different industries. Research showed that the hospitality and food industries were the most flexible for women with children.

“In April we found out about the space here at Depot Park,” Burton said. “And in two months we were open.” Plates occupies the building lease free - all St. John’s pays for is utilities. By eating at Plates you are “helping women transform their lives with a French fry,” Burton said.

Michelle Barry is in the Plates program and plans to complete it in November. The program has inspired her to be more self-sufficient.

“I hope to help at St. John’s in the future so that they can maybe benefit from my experience,” she said. “We get no tips and no pay, but St. John’s pays half our rent.”

David Husid works for Lutheran Social Services and has been working with St. John’s for eight years. “It’s real good work experience for the women going through the shelter,” he said. “Great food, great prices.”

Plates plans to get its own garden started, but currently uses local produce, meats and cheese.

Breakfast prices range from $1 to $7 for the continental breakfast. The lunch and dinner options include the buffet for $18 per person, which serves items such as Southwest Caesar Salad and Mediterranean Pasta.

Plates is located at 14 Business Park Way in Sacramento. It is open Monday through Friday. Breakfast is served from 7 a.m.-10 a.m.  lunch is served from 11a.m.-4 p.m. and dinner is served from 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. http://www.eatatplates.com/

“We will be here for many, many years,” Matsui said.