The Simple Act of Connecting Through Cooking
By Sara Crimm, Families CCAN Director
It already seems like ancient history – the Pandemic shut-down of March, 2020. In the midst of closing down our in-person plans for meetings, Workshops and housing groups, Families CCAN wondered how to continue to reach families.
“What do families need right now?” I asked myself. “How can Families CCAN help?”
Families were feeling stressed. They were confined to their homes, re-constructing daily schedules for family members with disabilities and cooking dinner every night. Yet spending all this time together also offered opportunities for developing skills and practicing increased independence. Why not start with preparing meals? It would be a great way to work on setting goals and taking tiny steps.
And thus we developed Families CCAN Cook, offered on Zoom. Our amazing chef/instructor Mary Matcovich was totally on board. “Easy recipes with few steps. Dinner in one hour,” she counseled. “We can introduce simple cooking techniques and keep it fun.”
Not knowing what to expect, I was delighted when over 20 people registered for our first session in April, 2020. Some of our first participants are still cooking with us, over 50 sessions later! Meals are balanced for nutrition and dishes can be adapted to include alternate ingredients for folks on particular diets. Every single session features a new set of 2-3 recipes.
Our cooking community is diverse and now spread across the state of Pennsylvania. People with disabilities are chopping, stirring, mixing and tasting – each in their own kitchen and with the support of a family member or staff person. They are so proud to prepare dinner for the whole family. They delight in sharing a glimpse of their completed dish with the group. And they also delight in seeing new friends each week on the screen. Even when we cannot meet in person, we are still able to build, strengthen and maintain those community connections that are the bedrock of Families CCAN. We close each session with a heartfelt: “Congratulations – you did it! Your dinner is now cooked. Bon Appetit.”
Learn how to cook with us!
Sign up today for Families CCAN Cook, our guided virtual cooking classes for individuals with disabilities and a family member or support person. We’ll prepare a balanced and nutritious dinner in one hour.
