The Salvation Army’s Austin Area Command recently launched its inaugural cooking class at The Rathgeber Center. The classes, facilitated by Central Texas Food Bank, are set to be a monthly occurrence at the two shelter locations of The Salvation Army in Austin.
“Children at The Rathgeber Center had a blast at this month’s cooking class, hosted by Central Texas Food Bank!” said Salvation Army Austin in a Facebook post on Feb. 11,” said Salvation Army Austin, according to Facebook. “The Rathgeber Center is one of our family shelters serving any family unit with a child.”
As reported in a blog post by The Salvation Army, these shelters conduct monthly enrichment activities aimed at mitigating the challenges associated with homelessness for families. These activities encompass monthly birthday celebrations, craft sessions, educational time with an on-site teacher and festive events. Following a collaboration with Central Texas Food Bank, The Salvation Army Austin has now added cooking classes to its roster of activities.
The cooking classes will be conducted every month for children residing at The Rathgeber Center for Families. As per the blog post, these classes will equip children with skills to cook safely and prepare healthy meals while also imparting other nutritional guidelines. Each class will revolve around a specific project, culminating in the children enjoying the food they prepared.
“The kids had a great time at the first class and are eager for more,” stated the blog post. “Our shelter director, Carrie, was thrilled about this opportunity as it aligns with her goal of implementing programs that equip clients with essential life skills for their future beyond the shelter. A huge thank you to Central Texas Food Bank for making this possible!”
The Salvation Army Austin is dedicated to serving families with children who are experiencing homelessness. It provides not only shelter and warm meals but also necessary resources to families in need. These resources are provided on-site at both locations and include child and family therapy, rehousing programs, assistance with employment/education opportunities, computers and various activities designed for both children and parents alike. Those interested in volunteering at one of the Austin shelters can visit: https://salvationarmyaustin.org/texas-austin/volunteer.
