By host Tom Ashbrook:

The number one box office draw in America last weekend was Will Smith’s “The Pursuit of Happyness,” with a desperate, down and out father struggling to hit it big, save his family, and go rags-to-riches as stock broker.

For millions of Americans who have known the cold chill of hard times and the receiving end of a food bank, it doesn’t take a Goldman Sachs-sized $50 million dollar bonus to make the season bright. Just a job, a paycheck, and a foothold on the first rung of the economy is a huge relief.

This hour, we’ll talk with three Americans, in Chicago, who have just made that step — through the kitchen.

Guests:

Keleigh Green-Patton, she is food service director at two group homes. This will be her first Christmas as a salaried worker and as a home owner.

Tyson Thompson, she overseas five people as a chef at the Holy Trinity High School in Chicago. This will be her first Christmas as a salaried worker and college graduate.

Randy Ball, he is an assistant chef at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. This will be his first year with a job and with an associates degree in hospitality management on the horizon.

Kate Maehr, executive director, Greater Chicago Food Depository, a not-for-profit food bank that runs a free 12-week chef-training program. The food bank feeds roughly 500,000 people around the city each year.