Stories from the Road: Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine
We believe in the power of food to bring people together and create positive change and today, we want to shine a spotlight on a partnership that exemplifies this belief: the Food Bank’s collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine.
The Boys and Girls Club is a vital organization that provides young teens and adults with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive during adolescence. This summer, we had the pleasure of bringing our Cooking Matters program to three of their sites, where we worked closely with kids and teens to build their cooking skills and knowledge of nutrition.
When the Cooking Matters program first launched at the Boys and Girls Club, many participants were new to following recipes and had mostly relied on convenience foods at home. Over six weeks, the Cooking Matters AmeriCorps instructor saw a remarkable transformation. Participants grew more confident in their cooking abilities, eagerly taking on responsibilities and seeking out tasks to help in the kitchen. By the end of the summer, these young cooks were not just following recipes—they were creating dishes from scratch and taking on the role of head chef.
Riley Richardson, our dedicated AmeriCorps instructor, shared her experience working with the Boys and Girls Club: “The boys and girls always welcomed me to class with eagerness and excitement to learn how to cook. Seeing all my students working together to create a meal they would share at the end of each class was incredibly rewarding. The students built a community around their shared love of cooking and food. One student’s recurring statement, ‘Cooking really does matter,’ was a testament to the impact of our time together.”
As pictured, in one class the students learned how to bake chocolate and vanilla muffins topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting. This class was filled with so much joy in learning how to bake together, and everyone enjoyed the sweet treat at the end.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine for their incredible partnership and for providing a space where young people can learn, grow, and enjoy the art of cooking.
Here’s to many more successful and delicious collaborations in the future! Visit our Cooking Matters program page to learn more about the program. If you are interested in participating in Cooking Matters or learning more about hosting a Cooking Matters class in your area, please contact Denise Gaudette, Cooking Matters Manager at Good Shepherd Food Bank, dgaudette@gsfb.org or (207) 782-3554 X1129.