ORLANDO, Fla. — Chef Jill Holland is a top chef at Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando.

She's also in charge of its A Spoon Full of Hope organization, which benefits her students in the culinary training program.

“When I have the students come by and thank me for changing their lives, like, seriously,” she smiles. “How much better can that be?”

She says nearly 30% of her students have experienced homelessness. Most have had hardships and are now in culinary training to pursue a sustainable career in the food industry.

This year, Chef is packaging up all kinds of shortbread cookies, like the Pistashio Cranberry ones. (Chef describes them as “Christmas in your mouth”).

When you order cookies from A Spoon Full of Hope, 100% of every purchase of cookies, honey and/or soup directly supports Second Harvest’s no-cost 16-week Culinary Training Program. To date, more than 400 students have graduated the program, which has a 95% job placement rate.

Products can be purchased at www.ASpoonFullofHope.org. Second Harvest’s Orlando warehouse is at 411 Mercy Drive.