(Left to right) GL Homes Vice President of Community Relations Sarah Alsofrom, Legal Aid client Shaun Deason, and WPTV Channel 5 NBC reporter Brooke Chau.
Photo credit: Tracey Benson Photography
The Riverland Arts & Culture Center in Port St. Lucie buzzed with activity as GL Homes, Legal Aid Society and Feeding South Florida teamed up to create a delicious, nutritious meal. Chopping, peeling, grilling, slicing and dicing were all on the menu during a hands-on cooking class that combined healthy eating, practical life skills and teamwork.
Feeding South Florida Chef Susan Taves led the class in Riverland’s state-of the-art kitchen for Legal Aid Society clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. GL Homes volunteers worked side-by-side with the clients, offering encouragement and guidance as they prepared a Mediterranean salad with homemade dressing, fresh vegetables and grilled chicken. By lunchtime, the group was enjoying a meal they had proudly created together.
The cooking class is part of a decade-long partnership between GL Homes and the Legal Aid Society that provides enriching activities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Over the years, participants have enjoyed golf and swimming lessons, equine therapy, arts & crafts and bowling, all designed to build confidence, foster social connections and enhance quality of life. Many Legal Aid Society clients aged out of the foster care system and rely on the organization’s guardianship and advocacy services for stability, support and independence.
Legal Aid Society provides high-quality civil legal advice, representation, and education free of charge to the most vulnerable and at-risk children, families, elders, veterans and individuals in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast so as to protect their personal safety, enhance their opportunities and living conditions, and promote self-sufficiency.
Feeding South Florida’s mission is to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts and transforming lives through innovative programming and education.
