Food for Thought : Community Kitchen and Cooking Program

As community hubs, libraries can play an important role in promoting public health and wellness initiatives, including food and cooking literacy programs.

However, eating well, in times of food insecurity, involves more than just quality ingredients—joy, creativity, and community are all important ingredients in any good recipe!

We want to create a monthly program to explore food and community connections, featuring and establishing partnerships with local chefs, dietitians, and knowledgeable home cooks willing to share their expertise with participants. From basic skills to exploring international cuisines, these workshops will cater to all skill levels, making cooking accessible and fun for everyone.

Our goal with ‘Food for Thought’ is to create a community kitchen where participants can come together to prepare food and take it home to their families.

‘Food for Thought’ presents a great opportunity for learning about the importance of healthy eating and developing the skills to prepare healthy and affordable meals.

As part of our new library program we would create a food lending library to offer a great way for community members to sign out items used in daily living and to explore their new culinary skill and interest, without the burden of purchasing new items, by offering cooking kits and small appliances as part of our Library of Things, including cake pan sets, a sandwich press, an ice cream maker, food dehydrator, and various cooking items not readily available to our community due to financial hardships.