SuperCupboard: A Unique “SHARE’d” Partnership
Posted: June 1, 2012
S.H.A.R.E., the Self Help and Resource Exchange in Philadelphia’s Hunting Park neighborhood, partners, provides food assistance and much-needed classroom space, while Penn State Extension Nutrition Links conducts classes on how to decipher a food label, and ways to achieve maximum nutrition with limited food dollars. The instructors, Nutrition Education Advisers (NEAs), emphasize safe food handling in the always-popular cooking lessons.
The SuperCupboard program is designed to foster self-sufficiency for adults with families who
frequent emergency food services. The ultimate goal is to enable participants to break the cycle of dependency and move toward self-reliance. Through hands-on learning experiences and living skills, participants build and strengthen ties among themselves and their community.
This May’s 2012 SuperCupboard graduates gained practical knowledge in personal and home fire safety. They discovered how to extend their fresh produce budget via Philly Food Bucks, a $2 coupon redeemable for every $5 spent on produce, at more than 25 Philadelphia farmers' markets.
Penn State Extension Nutrition Links was able to secure a sign language translator for an interested participant.
Thanks to the generosity of SHARE, each SuperCupboard participant went home with assorted groceries each week in order to prepare meals learned in class for their families. Upon graduation, they received a $20 food gift certificate, redeemable at SHARE.
The next SHARE-Penn State Extension Nutrition Links SuperCupboard class is scheduled to begin on June 5, from 11-12:30pm. Classes run for five weeks. Call 215-223-2203 for more information.
