In 2007, Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) partnered with Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters® program. Cooking Matters teaches participants to shop smarter, use nutrition information to make healthier choices and cook delicious, affordable meals. We are excited to have celebrated our 10-year anniversary in providing Cooking Matters courses, tours and workshops to families and children in the community.
When the program first started at TAFB, our partners were food pantries and community centers. We are now proud to provide classes at food pantries, community centers, schools, low-income apartments, medical clinics, resource centers, colleges and hospitals. In 2017, we were able to serve 4,900 meals to more than 800 participants.
Along with the food provided to participants, we discussed food budgeting, nutrition and how to cook the food they received. This was made possible with 43 volunteers who put in over 500 hours to teach the community. Tarrant Area Food Bank is so thankful to all of our volunteers for supporting our mission to empower communities to eliminate hunger by providing food, education and resources through innovation and collaboration.
By Connie Jones
Cooking Matters Coordinator, Tarrant Area Food Bank