News and Events

One of the worksites in our Families Learning Together program is the commercial kitchen where participants learn how to prepare delicious, nutritious food for themselves and their families.

Our Kitchen Supervisor, Margo, who is also a well-known fixture at a popular local restaurant, EBAs, had the inspired idea of hosting an Iron Chef competition for the women. They all agreed to make tappas – small plates of finger food – and a board member and her husband served as judges. The teams were given a budget and they were off. Staff members were very willing to test the resulting array of food, and the feedback was unanimous: excellence in the dining room.

Families Learning Together participants are young, pregnant, mothers, or at risk for pregnancy, and they are all struggling to survive in the limiting culture of poverty. They may have seen Iron Chef competitions on television, but The Family Place shows them that they, too, can be a part of something creative, fun, and healthy. As much as our programs are about improving the lives of families in practical ways, they’re also about encouraging participants to recognize their own potential and act on that potential. The Family Place chefs were proud of their ability to plan a menu, shop for the food, make the food and then present it to an audience. And we are proud of them!