Employment & Food Service
People with barriers to work — including disabilities and past criminal convictions —benefit from skill-development and education, placement, and coaching to help them gain and maintain meaningful employment and improve their social and emotional health.
In 2023, more than 350 people were placed into jobs through the employment services program. In addition, 35 new employers joined the CFI employment placement network.
Program funding is in partnership with Milwaukee County DHHS.
Success Story: CFI staff member ‘levels up’
Khai Nguyen works in the food service department at CFI.
About three years ago, Khai didn’t have a direction in his life, while struggling with shelter and holding down a job. Through the Level Up program, Khai went through several training opportunities, which led him to be hired full time at CFI.
Since then, he’s been promoted four times, leases an apartment and recently purchased a pre-owned vehicle.
In this video, hear from Khai about how he overcame adversity and to where he now believes he has a direction in his life. Khai’s story is one of my examples at CFI featuring people who have overcome various barriers to employment.
Success Story: Changing lives one family at a time
Johnny Ramirez got his first job working at Culver's when he was 33 years old. He is a dining room attendant at the company's Miller Park Way location on Milwaukee's south side.
He wanted the job because he wanted to help his mom at home, but to also fix a ceiling fan in his bedroom.
When he got the job, it was an exciting moment for he and his family.
"The experience has been wonderful and beautiful," said Maria Ramirez, Johnny's mom.
With the help of his job coach, Johnny is learning and developing skills each and every day. It is because of Johnny's hard work, he and his family are thriving.
In November 2023, Johnny was selected as the Culver's Employee of the Month at his location.
Employment Service
People with barriers to work – including disabilities, literacy gaps and criminal convictions — learn self-management skills and receive on-the-job experience. We support businesses with recruitment, evaluation, training, and placement services, and help identify tasks and projects for job-seekers to increase their employability. We provide pre-vocational, recruitment, evaluation, training and placement services to help people reach their employment goals.
Who We Serve
People with barriers to work.
What We Offer
We help job-seekers facing barriers to employment find work, and we link corporate partners and local businesses to a prepared and supported workforce.
Contact Info
Office Hours
Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Phone: 414-937-2020
Food Service
Our Food Service program is a training venue where clients receive real-world experience and improve the health of the community by providing healthy meals to charter schools and early learning centers, and complementary nutrition education to schools we partner with. We also provide fresh and healthy meals during summer months in neighborhood parks, bridging the food gap while school is not in session.
Who We Serve
Adults with disabilities or other barriers to employment.
What We Offer
Real-world training in the food service industry, and nutritious meals to school-age children.
Contact Info & Locations
Office Hours
Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Phone: 414-937-2020
Fax: 414-937-2021
Office Locations
2020 W. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53233