At Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, the pillars supporting the work towards a hunger free community are Feed, Teach, Grow, and Cultivate. One of the main initiatives under the Teach umbrella is Cooking Matters, through which participants are taught to shop smarter, use nutrition information to make healthier choices, and cook delicious, affordable meals. By emphasizing healthy low-cost ingredients, including fresh produce, the program empowers participants to meet their own food needs and get the most nutrition out of their limited budgets. These classes are of particular use in neighborhoods that are frequently located in food deserts where ready access to nutritious foods and fresh produce is restricted.
Cooking Matters classes are taught at a variety of locations—at schools, churches and community centers—all of which offer some variety of food preparation facilities, some more limited than others. But now, thanks to individual and corporate donors that support the Food Shuttle, we have entered a new era of flexibility that will allow cooking classes to be held just about anywhere through the purchase of a Charlie Cart.
The Charlie Cart Project was designed to create an affordable and comprehensive food education program, giving everyone the power to make healthy life choices. The Charlie Cart is a small, self-contained kitchen on wheels equipped with power, storage, and a sink, as well as all the tools and appliances needed for healthy cooking.
Through this new innovative tool, there is unlimited freedom in scheduling Cooking Matters classes. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle President and CEO, L Ron Pringle, says, "this will give us the ability to take the cooking demonstrations into facilities and outdoor opportunities that do not have the space or equipment on-site to host classes." Thus, providing more participants than ever before with nutrition education that will help ensure a more food secure future for all.