KCBX s Rachel Showalter reports.
From now through June 30, locals can participate in the third annual San Luis Obispo Grilled Cheese Festival.
It’s organized by the non-profit Restorative Partners, a SLO County organization that aims to help people whose lives have been impacted by crime.
The non-profit facilitates programs in the county juvenile hall, runs five sober living homes, offers mentorship, reentry programs, drug and alcohol counseling and community education.
Brandee Puett is the operations director for Restorative Partners. She said the Grilled Cheese Festival is about raising money to support these programs.
But this year, Puett said it’s also about giving back to the food industry that is working to recover after the pandemic. She said the industry is vital for supplying jobs to people who are reentering the community after being incarcerated.