Baltimore City, Maryland (November 15, 2017) - U Empower of Maryland (UEM) will present "The Food Project" this Wednesday November 15, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at Samuel F.M. Morse Elementary School. The community meeting will discuss the implementation of UEM's "The Food Project" to meet the area youth's sustainable food sources, training, job opportunities and mentorship needs.
The meeting will present the start of the U Empower of Maryland's "The Food Project" at Samuel F. M. Morse Elementary School. This new operating location, which closed as a school in 2016, would be the first physical site for UEM's food program. The program hopes to open in January 2018 finally giving UEM a safe place to serve the community. UEM welcomes community members and all people to come hear what we are implementing right now within this Southwest Baltimore City neighborhood. UEM, partnered with the community, will address the immediate need of hunger, jobs resources and hope.
UEM's dynamic and instrumental program will provide food to the marginalized and often overlooked youth of the Southwest Baltimore City community. Not only will the food nourish our youth today, but the food preparation skills that the youth will learn from our amazing and talented chefs will empower them to provide basic meals and skills to their family and community. This simple, yet pivotal and empowering program will daily improve and change—in life-sustaining ways—these children and their eating habits. Leading, not only to healthier children and families (decreasing work and school absenteeism for illnesses and occurrences of clinic visits), but to healthier and more vibrant communities. Additionally, U Empower is partnering in the space of Samuel FB Morse Elementary with I'm Still Standing Community Corporation to provide wrap around services and job training for the adults. Creating a holistic approach to the community by addressing the adults and the children so everyone is growing and getting stronger together.
"Children can’t focus on their education and future when they are hungry and in a situation of survival—this is why we are here." Stated Michelle Suazo, U Empower of Maryland, Vice President and Food Bridge, Co-Founder. "This program has an element of simplicity—using food as the connector—and then the tool to empower the community. We come alongside each youth feeding, engaging, teaching, mentoring, so that they can then go and work toward their higher needs like learning, improving their home environment. By seeing the programming coming to their neighborhood they know they are valued, helping them to value themselves enough to then make healthy choices. The youth will take what they learn back to their parents. The benefits of our program impact so many more people than just those that walk through the door into 'The Food Project'."
The Food Project
U Empower of Maryland's "The Food Project" brings culinary skills, job opportunities, sustainable food sources, mentorship & hope to the youth of South West Baltimore. With your support, we can empower futures together.
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