Older Youth at The Villages Are Cooking Up Tasty Meals

Youth at The Villages in Terre Haute prepare to enjoy the pizza they made during cooking class.

There are delicious smells and some laughter coming from our Terre Haute office! Our Older Youth Services Program started a cooking class to help youth aging out of foster care or already on their own learn their way around the kitchen and master a few simple meals. The class was launched after the OYS staff created a cookbook with recipes complied from friends, donors and staff members of The Villages for young adults moving into their first apartment. Staff in Terre Haute thought it would be a great idea to begin a class using the cookbook to introduce cooking and kitchen safety. The first class began in October with a maximum of six youth to ensure one worker per participant.

“The cooking classes are a way for the youth to relax with their case managers and peers without the pressure of doing services or completing tasks,” said Kylee Bunnell, an Independent Living Case Manager at The Villages. “Food is comfort for all, especially for our youth! Eating together around a table provides a family-like environment. We hope to create good memories for our youth while they are in the foster care system.”

If you are interested in contributing to the cooking class in any way, please contact Kylee Bunnell, kbunnell@villages.org,  or Jessica Mannon-Phillips, jmannon@villages.org.