VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 268
AIR DATE: 03 03 2023
TRANSCRIPT

OPEN ((VO/NAT/SOT))
((Topic Banner))
Inspiring Hope
((SOT))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
We hand out food, non-perishables and perishables to families who need them. And we go to different bus stops every week.
((Animation Transition))
((Topic Banner))
Serving the Community
((SOT))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
So, I believe that no one should ever go to bed hungry. We have to have equitable food available to everybody. That was one of the reasons I started this soup kitchen.
((Animation Transition))
((Topic Banner))
Providing Food Options
((SOT))
((Taryn Cunnigham
Chef, Grilled Fraiche))
In the neighborhoods that we put our restaurants, they’re food deserts. So, you can't find a salad for miles. But then, you put our restaurant here and you can get a salad, just here in the middle of a less fortunate neighborhood.
((Open Animation))

BLOCK A


((PKG)) HOPE CHANGING LIVES
((TRT: 07:07))
((Topic Banner: Hope Changing Lives))
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera: Adam Greenbaum; Philip Alexiou))
((Editor: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Leesburg, Virginia; Herndon, Virginia))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 1 male))
((NATS/SOT: Dei Jay Jamison))
Oh, wait. You’re waiting on me, Allison? Want me to hop on up here?
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
I'm Dei Jay, Dei Jay Jamison and I've been with Mobile Hope for about six years, graduated from Loudoun County High School, 2015.
((NATS))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
Basically we do this every week. So, we hand out food, non-perishables and perishables to families who like, who need them. And we go to different bus stops every week.
It makes me feel like I have a purpose, like I'm giving it back, like I am helping somebody who needs it.
((NATS))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
When I joined Mobile Hope, I was about 14 or 15 [years old] and I was in a rough spot. I grew up without my mom and my dad. So, that means I didn't have my parents growing up. And so, my grandmother, you know, brought me in, raised me, me and my other siblings that I have. And so, I was like, I grew up confused.
((NATS))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
So, growing up, I was always getting into trouble. I was always getting suspended from school or getting into fights and, you know, I was just mad at the world.
((NATS))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
Going into high school was when I really started partying and, you know, doing drugs and stuff and drinking and just not, just going down the wrong path. I was homeless for a little while.
((NATS))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
It’s pretty…it’s tough. It's tough knowing that you don't have anywhere to go. And, you know, automatically assume you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing if you're homeless. Like why are you homeless? Just get a job and work. And it’s not that easy. It's not, especially if you’re 25 [years old], it’s hard. People just driving by, people walk by. You know, it is what it is. You know what I mean? But it's depressing.
I have got in trouble before where I'd been incarcerated. So, when I got out when I was like 18 [years old], I started working extensively with Mobile Hope, like at that point, to get my life back on track.
((NATS))
((Donna Fortier
CEO and Founder, Mobile Hope))
When he first came to us, he was not a happy, cheerful young man. I think he had a lot of self-doubt, and he had a lot of struggles that he was dealing with. And being with us for however many years he’s now been with us, he has really grown to be a mentor now to some of our kids.
And it was created because there were no true programs that were dedicated specifically to our homeless youth, especially 18 to 24 [years old]. And so, we do everything in our power to help empower them and help to have them lead a life of self-sufficiency.
So, we have mentors that are not only life coaches that are there for them when that life kind of gets hard, but they're also there as experts, you know, content experts within the trade that they are pursuing.
((NATS/SOT))
I’m going to the school soon.
((NATS/SOT: Instructor))
So, I’m going to put this on low and cover it to simmer. It's 11:50. It’s supposed to be done at 12:15. So, I'm going to have you actually bring that plate of chicken over here.
Let's do this. Let's cut up this chicken into bite-size pieces.
((Donna Fortier
CEO and Founder, Mobile Hope))
Most kids have not been asked what they want to do in life, what their goals are in life. They've primarily been regimented to: You can do this job, you can do this job.
((NATS/SOTs))
((Donna Fortier
CEO and Founder, Mobile Hope))
So, the uniqueness of trading up with Mobile Hope is our ability to put them in front of many different trades to see where their passion exists. And then they get to shadow those people.
Dei Jay graduated. He has, I think, six or seven certifications in cybersecurity.
((NATS/SOT: James H. Wilson))
Great to see you again. Yeah, I'm excited about all of the opportunities that are out here for you.
((James H. Wilson
Chief Learning Officer, The Carver Institute))
Well, I started working with Dei Jay during the time that Mobile Hope was opening up their vocational program. That's how I actually met Dei Jay. We met there and he expressed an interest in going into a cybersecurity program that we had. He was very interested in technology.
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
Cybersecurity wise, I would explain it as basically being able to outsmart your opponents, basically. It's like a game to me. So, I like putting pieces to the puzzle together, analyzing, figuring out what the problem is and then solving it.
((NATS))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
I like it. It's like cat and mouse, you know what I mean? So, it's like the thrill of the chase or like, kind of, just like figuring out what you can do better, you know, or what that company can do better to protect themselves as well.
((James H. Wilson
Chief Learning Officer, The Carver Institute))
Yes, we want you to do the LinkedIn, so you can just send your resumes out or connect with those people who have some of the same interests. So, that's wonderful. And we're just happy to work with you on that, and also the resume what we like for you to do at this particular time now is add this cybersecurity analyst position.
((NATS))
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
You can't become the man you want to be, if you're still tied to the man you used to be. And it’s the worst type of battle when it's within yourself and nobody can see. You know what I mean? And sometimes you definitely feel like you will not win. But there are also people and resources out there that can help you get through it. Keep a support system if you can, like I want you to surround yourself with people who want the best for you. And there is really nothing you can't handle.
((NATS/SOT: Dei Jay Jamison))
Wow!
((Dei Jay Jamison
Member, Mobile Hope))
Everybody, you know, has a purpose in life and I hope that everybody finds it.
((NATS))


TEASE ((VO/NAT/SOT))
Coming up…
((Topic Banner))
Feeding the Underprivileged
((SOT))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
I have always been a volunteer in a soup kitchen. But after looking a lot, I did not find a soup kitchen in Loudoun County. I decided that, you know, I'm just going to have to start one.

BREAK ONE
((https://www.voanews.com/a/logon-bird-migration-tech--web-mp4/6655228.html))
((Bird Migration Tech))
((Rodd Kelsey
The Nature Conservancy))
((Courtesy: Google Earth))
((Courtesy: Cornell Lab of Orinthology))
((Courtesy: Point Blue Conservation Science/The Nature Conservancy))
((Jon Munger
Montana Farms))
((Courtesy: California Rice Commission))
((Courtesy: Migration Bird Conservancy Partnership))
BUMP IN ((ANIM))

BLOCK B


((PKG)) A PASSION FOR FEEDING THE UNDERPRIVILEGED
((TRT: 9:10))
((Topic Banner: A Passion for Feeding the Underprivileged))
((Reporter/Camera/Editor: June Soh))
((Map: Ashburn, Virginia))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 1 male))
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
We take food safety very seriously in the soup kitchen because these are communities that need to be kept safe. So, we check the temperature of our protein. We need the temperature of the chicken to be 165 degrees or more. It looks like it's pretty well done.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
My name is Devina Mahapatra. I am the founder of the Dulles South Soup Kitchen. When we moved to this area, we were looking for a soup kitchen to volunteer at. I have always been a volunteer in a soup kitchen. I like to feed people. But after looking a lot, I did not find a soup kitchen in Loudoun County. And so, after talking to a few people, I decided that, you know, I'm just going to have to start one. And that's how the Dulles South Soup kitchen was started in November of 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic. We are located in Loudoun County in northern Virginia, about 30 miles from Washington, D.C.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
I believe that no one should ever go to bed hungry. You know, we have to have equitable food available to everybody. That was one of the reasons I started this soup kitchen.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
So, this chicken has been marinated overnight. That's how we get the flavors to be really good. This is chicken that comes to us. We purchase some of the chicken and we get some chicken donated.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
I moved to the United States when I was 21. I was brought up in India for the most part of my life, early life. And I remember, very early, my grandmother telling me that no matter what you do, if you're giving something to another person in need, you should give it with dignity and you should give it with respect.
((NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
I learned cooking very young. I was always interested in cooking.
As a very young girl, I would make breakfast for my dad every morning. That was my job. My cousins would always come home because they knew that I would definitely make something. And that just went on as an adult and I still enjoy cooking.
((NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
So, we've made this fresh tomato and cucumber salsa this morning. This goes into our fajita bowls.
((NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
Saira is our full-time cook. She's been with the kitchen since June of 2021. She normally will come up with what other meals she wants to give based on the donations we've received.
((NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
These vegetables are donated to us by a high school group of students. They are the ones who recovered this fresh produce from farmers’ markets.
((NATS))
((NATS: Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
So, in a month, we provide anywhere from 2,800 to 3,000 meals.
These are people who are hungry. They're homeless. They're food insecure. Food insecurity is huge. When we're in Loudoun County, and it's such a rich county, hunger shows up as food insecurity, where people need to make the choice of whether they should spend their money on rent or should they go buy grocery. These are people who work. They have more than one jobs many times. So, the soup kitchen’s mission is that we continue to provide healthy, nutritious food to anybody who asks. We don't do any background checks. We always allow a lot of dignity.
So, this kitchen has been donated to us by someone in our community.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
Alright. So, these meals are going to be taken to my home and the volunteers are going to come this evening to pick it up and take it for distribution.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
Every two weeks, we're actually delivering some value back to our stakeholders. That is the whole point of Agile. The highest priority is...
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
I work full time for a technology company as an Agile coach. An Agile coach is someone who coaches teams on how to deliver software better and faster. Because I work from home full time, it gives me a lot of flexibility to be able to work the kitchen and my job together. I don't have driving time and I'm able to be present in work for the entire amount and then in the kitchen for the remaining amount.
((NATS: Devina and Anisha))
Hey, Mom.
Hi, you guys are back?
Yep.
How was your day?
It was good.
((NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
I don't get much time to be with the kids. So, whatever time I get,
I love to do it. Between work and the soup kitchen, there's very little time I get. So, they are the joy of my life.
((Courtesy: Facebook))
So, I have many young volunteers as part of the soup kitchen. I try to make sure that the youth is involved early, so that they make giving part of what their life is going to be.
((end Courtesy))
((Anisha Nanda
Daughter))
Anisha and Yash, my two children, are part of the volunteers as well.
((NATS))
((Anisha Nanda
Daughter))
A couple of years ago, when my mom first opened the soup kitchen, I started out as like a volunteer, kind of going to the distributions and helping giving people meals when they needed it. And then, as I kind of was helping more, I developed a passion for…I wanted to make more of a difference in the service that I was doing. So, I decided to start making Instagram posts and help her with her social media outreach. And here I am today, as a board member who's in charge of all of that.
((NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
So, families do not come to the soup kitchen location to pick up food. We bring the food to the distribution site, so that we make it easier for these people to pick up their food.
((NATS: Devina, Anisha and Yash distributing food))
Enjoy.
Thank you so much. Of course. Thank you.
((NATS))
((Soup Kitchen Customer))
This has helped my family of four. It really helps us extend our budget because the price of everything going up, everything. It's…and I live on a fixed income, Social Security disability. I have a broken hip, and a broken pelvis, and two lungs collapsed. And it just helps my family, these little extra meals.
((NATS))
((Soup Kitchen Customer))
No, not enough income. I work, and I'm here with my sister. And we, we just get by. We try and, and my nieces and nephew, we, we try to take care. Because of the soup kitchen, we have, we have dinner tonight.
((NATS: Anisha, Soup Kitchen Customer, Devina))
Thank you.
Thank you so much for this. Thank you.
You got it?
Alright. Thank you so much for helping today.
Bye.
Bye.
((NATS))
((Devina Mahapatra
Founder, Dulles South Soup Kitchen))
Five years from now, I expect to be distributing at multiple sites, so that access to this food gets very easy. I also want to start a culinary school, so that I'm able to make sure that people find a way to make an income.
((NATS/MUSIC))

TEASE ((VO/NAT/SOT))
Coming up…
((Topic Banner))
Oasis in a Food Desert
((SOT))
((Taryn Cunnigham
Chef, Grilled Fraiche))
In the midst of survival, we've created this beautiful cuisine, but also have kind of fallen short on actually giving us the proper nutrients that we need, which is where I feel like I come in as a chef.

BREAK TWO
((https://www.voanews.com/a/5637747.html))
((UV Disinfecting Robots))
((Andy Molnar
UVD Robots))
BUMP IN ((ANIM))

BLOCK C


((PKG)) OASIS IN A FOOD DESERT
((Previously aired September 2020))
((TRT: 04:39))
((Topic Banner: Oasis in a Food Desert))
((Reporter/Producer/Camera/Editor: Genia Dulot))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((Main characters: 2 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 male))
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Taryn Cunnigham

Chef, Grilled Fraiche))
The history of Black cuisine essentially is, it’s food from slavery, scraps essentially of things that people did not want to eat. We found beauty in them and we brought them to life.

Things are going to be cooked slow. They're going to be cooked long. They're going to be cooked till they're tender. They're going to be seasoned to perfection. They're going to be spicy. They're going to be sweet. They're going to be texturally pleasing that has nostalgia when you eat it, reminds you of home immediately. You know, these are the things that shape our food.
((Kelly Tailor,
Visitor, BlaqHaus))
Our family, we grew up eating bacon, turkey sausage, eggs, and grits would be kind of the hearty part of the breakfast that will keep you full for a couple of hours.
((Takela Corbitt
Owner, BlaqHaus))
This is our triple cheese Mac Daddy, which is our take on a macaroni cheese which is a traditionally southern dish, is considered soul food at its core.
((William Smiley
Visitor, Grilled Fraiche))
I still eat soul food. Are you kidding me? Mac and cheese, yams, string beans, collard greens. Oh, yeah, but I was brought up on soul food. I was brought up on soul food.
((NATS/MUSIC))
Welcome, welcome.
((Peace Love Reedburg
Owner, Grilled Fraiche))
It's been a hard journey in educating, as well as educating myself about food. But then, educating others from communities like my neighborhoods that I grew up in, being from South Central, understanding that you have high blood pressure, diabetes, and there are simple things that you can do to eat healthy. But it's not, it's hard for change because it’s a mental thing. It’s more mental than anything.
((Taryn Cunnigham
Chef, Grilled Fraiche))
In the midst of survival, we've created this beautiful cuisine, but also have kind of fallen short on actually giving us the proper nutrients that we need, which is where I feel like I come in as a chef, providing a different perspective of what our soul food is by simply, instead of fried chicken, giving fried cauliflower. Something just as simple as that can have someone thinking, ‘Oh wow, maybe I don't need this chicken. Maybe I don't need the fat from the chicken. Maybe I can actually have a vegetable fried.’ It's still fried, yes, but it's a transition.
((Taryn Cunnigham
Chef, Grilled Fraiche))
So, for this, for this one specifically, I substituted meat for plantain, which is basically a fried banana, which is common in a lot of cultures around the world. I've decided to put it in alongside with cabbage and bell pepper because that's what I think of when I think of home. I'm like, what would I have if I had it home? I would have cabbage. I would have some type of pepper. I would have some, something sweet to balance it out. Plantain, why not. And then I want texture. So, let's deep fry it. We like our food very hot. We like our food very spicy. But we also like balance. We also like sweet. These are micro sprouts which are actually superfood. They actually hold a lot of nutritional value, even though they're so small. Now I'm going to add just edible flowers. People typically like to eat with their eyes.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Taryn Cunnigham
Chef, Grilled Fraiche))
We try to give people another perspective, another option, recognizing they don't have to choose what has always been put in front of them.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Taryn Cunnigham
Chef, Grilled Fraiche))
In the neighborhoods that we put our restaurants, they’re food deserts. So, you can't find a salad for miles. But then you put our restaurant here, and you can get a salad just here, in the middle of a less fortunate neighborhood. So, it's really, the mission is to create a food oasis for people to actually come and enjoy food that tastes like home, but not necessarily something that is hurting them in the long run, something that can have them feeling uplifted, vibrant when they walk out the door, opposed to tired, sleepy, so.
((NATS/MUSIC))

CLOSING BUMPER ((ANIM))
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NEXT WEEK ((VO/NAT/SOT))
((Topic Banner))
In coming weeks…
Training Service Dogs
((SOT))
((Jackie Meline
Service Dog Owner))
I definitely wouldn’t be able to line on my own without Nathan. Nathan is my arms and my legs. He opens doors. He can turn on lights. He picks up dropped items and also can get me items that I can’t reach. He helps me so much when I am out and about, it’s hard to put into words everything that Nathan and Healing House has done for me.


BREAK THREE
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((NATS))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
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We cover it
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California State University Channel Islands))
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SHOW ENDS