Valley of “Hope“, Si Se Puede and Groundwork Lawrence unite for a two-day cooking camp benefiting 50 Daybreak Shelter residents
Valley of Hope Shelter and Recovery partnered with Si Se Puede and Groundwork Lawrence to give local children hands-on culinary instruction—and an opportunity to serve neighbors experiencing homelessness—through a two-day summer cooking camp in Lawrence.
Children attending Si Se Puede’s summer program learned to prepare a complete homemade meal in Groundwork Lawrence’s ServSafe-certified kitchen. Groundwork Lawrence supplied every ingredient, including fresh vegetables grown in its garden, and provided professional culinary instruction and mentoring.
Over two days, the students prepared a fresh salad with homemade dressing, chicken, rice with pigeon peas and chocolate chip cookies. At the close of the camp, the children delivered the hot meals to Daybreak Shelter, operated by Valley of Hope, where approximately 50 residents enjoyed it for dinner.
The collaboration brought together the complementary strengths of all three organizations: Groundwork Lawrence offered its kitchen, garden-grown produce and culinary expertise; Si Se Puede connected young participants with a meaningful summer learning experience; and Valley of Hope staff cooked and mentored alongside the students before welcoming them to Daybreak Shelter.
“This is what happens when a community chooses collaboration,” said Ashley Cimino, chief strategy officer at Valley of Hope. “Today wasn’t just about preparing a meal. It was about building hope.”
“Our residents didn’t just receive a meal; they experienced the love and care of an entire community that came together for them,” Cimino continued. “The students discovered the joy of serving others, while people experiencing homelessness were reminded that they matter.”
Valley of Hope team members participating in the camp were Wilson Torres, program director of Daybreak Shelter; Randy Diaz, kitchen and community partnership coordinator; and Cimino. They worked alongside Groundwork Lawrence culinary instructor Maria Natera and team members Eddy Rosa, Freddy Soza and Lesly Melendez. Jacqueline De la Cruz attended on behalf of Si Se Puede.
Says Holly Howes, CEO/Executive Director, Valley of Hope Shelter and Recovery, “Our mission has never been to do everything ourselves. It has always been to bring people together, connect resources, create opportunities and build a stronger, more compassionate community. We believe real change happens when we unite around a common purpose.”
The organizations see the cooking camp as a model for future community partnerships among schools, nonprofits, businesses, volunteers and neighbors. ◊