In Salvation Army kitchens around the country, clients and volunteers are coming together to plan, prepare and share meals. Cooking classes are run in many centres and provide an opportunity for whānau to develop their nutrition, shopping and cooking knowledge and skills over a term. Programme content and recipes are adapted to meet the needs of the group in terms of culture, diet, budget and the age of children. As well as making meals to take home, participants also share a meal together at the end of each class providing an important opportunity for social connection and relationship building. To help support longer term cooking at home, participants may also receive a cooking appliance and utensils. In some locations, Salvation Army centres partner with other Community Groups, to support their cooking programmes with food or equipment donations which help cover programme costs.
Cooking initiatives also provide a fantastic opportunity for volunteers to contribute to food security by coming together to help prepare meals using our donated and rescued food. In Gisborne our team has been supported by amazing volunteers who have helped prepare more than 5,000 meals which have been distributed to the Community in the three months after Cyclone Gabrielle. Being able to access nourishing prepared meals is becoming increasingly important for clients who are not able to cook for themselves because of skills or their living situation. Prepared meals also help make our food donations go further.
Exploring Te Kai Mākona | Choosing Kai | Sharing Kai | Growing Kai | Buying Kai | Cooking Kai | Connecting Through Kai | Partnering Around Kai