LIVE WELL ALABAMA - Key Persons
Bethany O'Rear, GMGM project coordinator, said the original intent of the project was to share produce with neighbors in need. In 2023, there was a concerted effort to focus on serving senior citizens in Alabama's food deserts.
Betty Patten, director of the EAGLES program, said students receive an inclusive post-secondary education that aligns with their strengths and interests.
"The EAGLES program helps students become contributing members of society through their career interests both now and in the future," Patten said. "Through our program, students have the support to earn industry-recognized credentials to help them access job fields that align their interests with their skills and abilities. These students are immersed in all areas of campus life. The EAGLES program has become an integral part of the entire Auburn Family."
Job Titles:
- Director of Beautiful Rainbow Café
Chip Rowan is the director of Beautiful Rainbow Café and a special education teacher at Gadsden City High School. He said the program fills a crucial gap that previously existed.
"In 2014, I started looking at statistics about the outcomes of our students with significant disabilities," Rowan said. "Of the 80 students that I looked at from our special education program, zero of them had been employed in any capacity since they left school."
Rowan used his love for cooking and gardening as inspiration to develop a program to address this issue. Now, through Beautiful Rainbow Café and its organic garden, students learn the skills they need to get community-based employment and live more independently. Underwood is one of the students that is a part of Beautiful Rainbow Café.
"I am the head cook at Beautiful Rainbow Café," Underwood said. "I help the kids learn how to cook and help my coworkers learn new skills. My favorite thing to cook here is cakes and a lot of other desserts."