Unique Partnership Focuses on Cooking for a Brighter Tomorrow

WILLIAMPSORT, Pa. –  Hope Enterprises, Transitional Living Centers, and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank have teamed up to form the Friends United Network (FUN).  They will be kicking off the partnership with a four-week cooking program starting January 24 at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank's Healthy Food Hub on Wahoo Drive. The cooking program will be taught by local chefs.

Individuals from Hope Enterprises will be joined by the women of Transitional Living Centers to cook a nutritious meal using food from the food bank's Healthy Food Hub that will go to serve the food bank's agency program and partners.

Mackenzie Howe, director of development for Hope, states, "Through our conversation we realized both of our clients want the opportunity to be productive and active in the community, without judgment or biases."

Nicole Miller, executive director of Transitional Living Center, states, "The idea of our women providing mentoring really took place when the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank came on board."

Meal recipients include the YWCA of Northcentral PA, the American Rescue Workers and Firetree Place. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank will be delivering the meals, while members of Hope Enterprises' residential homes will be serving the recipients.

Eric Orndorff, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank's director of agency and program services, states, "We are excited to expand our partnership with Hope and TLC in this initiative around healthy cooking and eating, which is a key element of our bold goal strategic plan."