JFCS honors Cooking Matters Program Graduates

Photo (L to R): Bottom Row: Mary Kehoe, Dan Michaels and Megan Armstrong of All Faiths Food Bank. Top Row: Teresa Barrios, Adia Cruz, Anna Baker, Jacqueline Gonzalez, Alexis McLaughlin, and Chaunci Vitale.

Thanks to a special federal grant and partnership with All Faiths Food Bank, JFCS recently honored seven Health Family program participants who “graduated” from their six-week Cooking Matters program.

This free program gave participants the opportunity to learn how to prepare healthy meals on a budget for the entire family and use a variety of kitchen appliances and tools. In addition, they also received tips-of-the-trade, take home recipes, a completed meal they prepared during the class and ingredients to make the meal at home again.

JFCS plans to offer the Cooking Matters program again in January 2018, available to anyone participating in its Healthy Families/Healthy Children program. For more information, contact Ronni Blumenthal, Director, at 941-366-2224, ext. 145 or rblumenthal@jfcs-cares.org.

About JFCS:

Founded in 1985, JFCS is a fully accredited, community-based social service, non-profit organization serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Collier, Lee and DeSoto counties in Florida, with the goal of empowering people to lead healthy, happy and sustainable lives. JFCS serves more than 25,000 individuals each year through counseling, prevention, intervention, outreach, case management, basic life necessities, financial aid and life skills education programs on a secular, non-denominational basis. Its seven key focal areas include youth, seniors, cancer support, Jewish healing, counseling, veterans and families. For more information, visit www.jfcs-cares.org or call 941.366.2224.