The NG Times Newspaper

“I loved cooking and I loved eating. I definitely loved all of it,” said one Dundas County youth following the completion of a seven-week cooking course. House of Lazarus, in partnership with Glengarry Inter-Agency Group’s Dundas Youth Centre, recently hosted Food Explorers, a food preparation course for youth. The program was made possible by a $2,735 grant from The Hershey Company, through Food Banks Canada. In addition to funding course supplies, the grant covered the purchase of blenders, food processors, and other cooking tools for the local youth centre.

Eleven young people between the ages of 9 and 12 participated in the seven two-hour weekly sessions, which were held at Winchester United Church. Each week, students received take home pages with recipes, cooking tips, and safety how-to information. The program goals included learning to follow a recipe, learning to safely use basic kitchen equipment and tools, exploring a variety of foods, learning how food affects the human body, and discovering individual food preferences.

“It was fun because I got to learn a lot of new things and eat great food,” said participant, Kenadie. “I learned a lot.”

The culminating exercise saw each participant prepare a full lasagna meal for their family, complete with Caesar salad and garlic buns. In addition to a massive multi-family meal, this final event saw each student take home their own graduating gift of cooking utensils.

One parent had the following to say about the experience: “Thank you for running such a fun and useful program. My kids really enjoyed the grown-up feel and independence. Thanks again for all your hard work.”

With all spots filled within hours and a waiting list to boot, Food Explorers showed a clear need for youth-focused cooking education opportunities.

House of Lazarus is a food bank and outreach mission located in Mountain, serving hundreds of clients from surrounding communities, including all of Dundas County, Grenville County and South Ottawa. Last year, 600 people were fed through HOL’s food bank, while 2,630 people were provided with food, clothing, furniture, and household goods through its outreach programming. A community-supported venture, House of Lazarus does not rely on government funding. It’s through HOL thrift stores, grants, donations, and fundraisers that its projects and programs happen.

For more information on this or other House of Lazarus projects, please visit www.houseoflazarus.com or follow the mission on Facebook.

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