CAFC receives $3,000 grant from Vail-Okemo Funds to support Recipe Kits for Food Shelf patrons

Chester-Andover Family Center was recently awarded a $3,000 EpicPromise cash grant from Vail-Okemo.

Funds will be used to support the CAFC Food Shelf Recipe Kit Initiative. Volunteers work with the Food Shelf manager to determine what produce and shelf-stable foods will be in abundance each month and develop and test main dish recipes using the available items.

One goal is to incorporate and introduce patrons to unfamiliar produce, such as daikon radishes. Other times, there is a shelf-stable item that no one is selecting, which usually indicates that people are unsure how to prepare or incorporate it into their weekly meals. That is when the volunteers get creative.

One month, there were many packages of ramen noodles in the storeroom. Experimentation led to a delicious “Cold Toasted Ramen Salad” with fresh vegetables and a spicy dressing. Everyone loved it, and ramen noodles started flying out the door.

Recipe Kits are given to food shelf recipients once a month; each kit contains all of the ingredients needed for the recipe, including spices, as well as detailed preparation instructions.

If you would like to help with the Recipe Kit initiative, stop by the food shelf, 908 VT-103 in Chester, or call 802-875-3236; a volunteer will put you in touch with the Recipe Kit Team.