RecipesEntire Site

Meals Help Make A Home

November 2, 2009

My daughter works at a shelter for homeless teenagers who stay for up to two months. The staff makes it a point to cook meals for the kids.

“The fact that I know how each kid likes their eggs in the morning; the kids so appreciate that,” my daughter says. “A lot of connection happens over cooking.”

Often the kids will eat all together. My daughter says, “You can turn it into a conversation. It’s a totally different way of talking than when you’re in an office. You get a sense of who they are, what their life is like.”

Not surprisingly, the food itself is very important. “If they don’t like someone’s cooking, I’ll hear about it. Or if they didn’t get enough of something, they’ll feel deeply wronged.”

My daughter says that often, the kids don’t know how to use a fork and knife. They bite off a piece of food. Or they tear a big piece and eat it with their hands. To her, it says that they’ve never sat at a table with someone paying attention to how they’re eating.

Sometimes she’ll offer them a utensil. But it’s not the table manners that are important; it’s the human connection and caring. My daughter credits these meals with helping to keep the shelter running well.

• Back To Blog