At this time of year, the culinary arts students at the Centennial Job Corps Center in Nampa usually turn their attention to turkey. Hundreds of the birds are cooked in the center’s production kitchen – along with stuffing and potatoes – and are stored until the Boise Rescue Mission’s annual banquet. The meal serves up to 4,000 people.
But this year, the group is unable to cook for the shelter. Michael Delaney with the center says that's because of a federal hiring freeze by the Trump Administration.
“Since basically this was all an executive order by President Trump," he says, "I guess we’re going to have to wait to decide whether he has attrited the federal government down to the level he wants it to be at, and I guess once it gets to that point then he’ll probably release the hiring freeze and allow us to hire again.”
After the center’s culinary director retired last month, they weren’t able to fill the position because of the hiring freeze. The Center operates under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But despite this, the Boise Rescue Mission still plans to put on the banquet. Kelsey Verbanac says the shelter is accepting turkey donations for the dinner, along with non-perishable Thanksgiving food.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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