【推荐1】At all hours of the day, white-aproned bakers occupy themselves in working in the Hot Bread Kitchen, throwing flour across butcher-block tables, filling metal trays with hand-shaped bread, and shifting steaming, fresh bread to cooling shelves. The only bodies at rest in this New York City bakery are pans with bread, waiting to be sent into the oven. The skilled bakers turn out around 25 varieties ranging from classic French baguettes to crisp Armenian lavash crackers-which they sell at farmers’ markets and gourmet stores.

But Hot Bread Kitchen is more than a bakery: It’s a nonprofit designed to give foreign-born women the skills and support they need to establish careers in the culinary arts. Overseeing daily operation of the place-and often rolling up her own shirtsleeves to involve in-is 35-year-old founder and CEO Jessamyn Rodriguez.

By mixing her lifelong passion for society with great food, Rodriguez says she has created her dream job. In 2008, Rodriguez launched the bakery in the small Brooklyn apartment she shared with roommates, hiring two immigrant women as her first bakers. “I was definitely breaking new ground, and we faced a lot of skeptics, ” she says of those early days. “But for every person who questioned it, there were five people who were interested in supporting us.” Today, Hot Bread Kitchen employs a staff of 35 and occupies a nearly 5,000-square-foot space in La Marqueta, a public market in East Harlem.

The women who bake and package Hot Bread Kitchen’s offerings range in age from 21 to 60. Coming from lands such as Haiti, Nepal, and the Dominican Republic, some have lived in the U. S. for as little as a year. Others, including production manager Antonia Garcia, who is originally from Mexico, have called America home for more than a decade. These women’s diverse homelands are reflected in many of the bakery’s products, like heritage tortillas and the wildly popular m’smen, a buttery bread.

The program has far surpassed Rodriguez’s original hopes. Since its humble beginnings, Hot Bread Kitchen has trained 27 women from 12 countries. They receive paid, on-the-job experience, as well as courses in bakery sciences, and English as part of a yearlong training program.

【推荐3】It all began in Everett, Washington, where my project team was in the process of conducting one of our business systems. So tough was the project that we often stayed up completing the tasks assigned. All of us were worn out. One night, as I walked through the parking lot with one of my employees. I found a cent and picked it up. Glancing at my exhausted employee. I suddenly had an idea to delight him. Playfully, I presented the cent to the employee and said, “This is an informal award for your efforts.” He put the cent in his pocket. “Thank you,” he said, a wave of joy sweeping across his face.

About six months later, I was walking with the same employee、this time in Los Alamitos, California, when I again found a cent and gave it to him with the same words.

Later, I got into his office and there, taped on a piece of paper were the two cents, which made me surprised. He said he was displaying them as his recognition for a job well done.

Other employees noticed the cents proudly displayed and began asking why they hadn’t received any. They were also longing for the “reward”. It was then that I started handing out cents, explaining that they were for recognition, not for reward. Soon, so many people wanted them that I designed a cent holder. The front features a place for a cent and beside it the phrase, “Your work is recognized!” The back has room for 30 more cents and the phrase, “Your achievements count!”

One time, I spotted an employee, Mia, doing something right and wanted to recognize her, but I didn’t have a cent, so I gave her a quarter. Later the same day she stopped by and returned 24 cents.

That’s how the “One Cent Award” was born. It’s become a significant source of recognition in our organization.

【推荐1】Four of the World’s Natural Disasters

The following four natural disasters destroyed cities and communities around the world. By flood, typhoon, or earthquake, these events have collectively taken millions of human lives.

Yangtze River Flood

The major flood of 1931 covered tens of thousands of square miles, flooding rice fields and many cities, including Nanjing and Wuhan. The flood affected more than 50 million people. Government organizations, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, estimated (估计) that about 3.7 million people died in this disaster.

Typhoon Nina

Typhoon Nina struck Henan province of China in August 1975. The typhoon caused a serious dam (水坝) failure, and more than 150,000 people were dead or injured. According to reports, at least 26,000 people died in the floods. About 145,000 people died from diseases caused by water pollution and famine (饥荒). The number of people affected by the disaster was more than 10,000,000.

Kashmir Earthquake

On October 8, 2005, a disastrous earthquake struck the Kashmir region. The earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.6, followed by many aftershocks, landslides, and falling rocks. The seriousness of the damage and the high number of deaths were worsened by poor construction (建筑) in the affected areas. In Kashmir at least 79,000 people were killed, and more than 32,000 buildings broke down.

Haitian Earthquake

At the beginning of 2010, an earthquake hit Haiti. The earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.0 and was followed by aftershocks that registered magnitudes of 5.9 and 5.5. Another aftershock of magnitude 5.9 struck on January 20. There has been debate about the total number of deaths caused by this earthquake, but estimates suggest that about 200,000-300,000 people died. Hundreds of thousands more were forced to leave their homes.

【推荐2】Almost every day, we learn of disasters of one form or another through the media. These include not just major disasters that affect large areas for a long time. A severe storm, an electric power breakdown, or a house fire can bring a personal disaster to an individual. This brochure aims to help you develop your personal preparedness plan.

【推荐3】Books That Celebrate Diverse Holidays and Traditions

It’s important to remember there are a diverse set of holidays available to explore. Below are a few books that help introduce children to different holiday cultures and traditions.

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto, illustrated by Ed Martinez

While helping her mother with Christmas celebration, Maria is tempted to try on her mother’s diamond ring. After getting caught up in the joy of the holiday and playing with her cousins, Maria realizes the ring is missing! That’s when she and her cousins come up with a plan to eat all of the tamales, in hopes of finding the ring.

Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford, illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger

This is a story about a little girl named Kayla who wants to see her older brother Khari come home so they can celebrate Kwanzaa together as a family. Khari is stuck at college when a snowstorm hits and his car breaks down. Will he make it home in time for Kwanzaa?

A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

This book is a funny, nostalgic tale of Christmas Eve afternoon through Christmas night in Wales, and is full of unique imagery and poetic prose. It will arouse a sense of familiarity for some young readers while introducing them to different aspects of Christmas traditions.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frane Lessac

The word otsaliheliga is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. This is an amazing story that describes a journey through the seasons with a modern-day Cherokee family. Cherokee history and traditions are also woven into the story in a very kid-friendly way.