CULANTHROPY IN PUERTO RICO

No one can survive very long without eating. Food and water deprivation is one of the worst disasters in the world, killing millions of people every year.

The Culinary Corps is doing its part to enrich lives and fortify communities through food-focused volunteer programs, by pulling together culinary professionals and students in frontline food-based humanitarian aid built upon a community’s own culinary heritage and nonprofit network.

Through their short-term volunteer programs, skilled culinary volunteers work in under-served communities, working closely with local leaders and culinary luminaries.

Since March 2007 they have completed seven trips. Six trips were held in New Orleans, and their last completed volunteer outreach trip was held in February 2010 in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Twelve exceptional culinary professionals volunteered for culinary service while learning about the cuisine of Puerto Rico.

CULINARYCORPS 2010 VOLUNTEER TRIP TO PUERTO RICO

Every day was rewarding and filled with excitement.
Day 1 –Bill’s Kitchen – creates 3000 frozen meals per week for residents living with HIV/AIDS. We helped troubleshoot their huge kitchen for efficiency, economy, and taste. We also worked with their full time staff to teach them requested culinary basics.

Day 2 – Sapientis – Creates positive learning environments for at-risk youth. They have set up a 3-year baking and pastry program for 60 students, ages 14-17. We hosted cooking workshops (one for each grade) focusing on fresh pasta and traditional Italian tomato sauce. At the end of each workshop, students and chefs sat to share their meal.

Day 3 – Hogar Ruth, a nonprofit organization in Vega Alta, P.R. – A safe-haven for women and children escaping home violence. We worked with the residents to create a cookbook of family and staff recipes to help with their fundraising efforts.

Day 4 – Vidas – We focused on Todos Los Santos Community Center that provides an education enrichment environment for 2-5 year olds living on the island. Students and teachers work together year round on special projects, this year their theme was vegetables. The students and parents totally explored every vegetable, much to our delight.

Day 5 – Iniciativa Comunitaria (IC) – Provides social services to struggling populations in San Juan. In partnership with the Inter-American University Culinary program, we worked with a select group of the IC population to teach basic kitchen skills and how to create a balanced budget and tasty meal for them to prepare at home. Meals were shared by the students and chefs and packed for distribution throughout San Juan, and delivered to the homeless populations.

Day 6 – Food and cultural exchange with the Mayor’s Office of the Township of Lieza.