By DVGS Editorial

On February 14^th, Thursday, four Developing Virtue Girls School students went to Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op on a mission to raise money for a local North Coast Opportunities (NCO) organization called Caring Kitchen.

Goals & Objectives of the Caring Kitchen Project are:

– Support the health and recovery of individuals undergoing cancer treatment and their families by  providing organic, vegetable-rich meals designed for healing

– Train teen volunteers in nutrition, cooking, and job skills

– Develop a sense of empathy in the community’s youth

– Foster meaningful connections and a sense of community for all partners and participants

– Source from local, organic food producers

– Promote “Food as Medicine” in the broader community¹

With the help of the dorm mother’s extravagant baking skills, healthy homemade cookies were baked and packaged in Valentine spirits by some of the sophomore student. The red and pink colored bow symbolizes cancer. These cookies were sold in the Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op and 100% of the proceeds will go to Caring Kitchen.

People were happy to see the girls raising money for a good cause. One man even greeted them in Chinese and said “謝謝” (thank you in Chinese); another lady whose mother died from cancer felt a deep resonance and told the girls that she would help with anything for cancer. Our goal is to continue monthly fundraisers throughout the semester, and raise awareness about Caring Kitchen to the community of Ukiah.

Photography: Audrey Chan (class of 2021)

¹ https://www.ncoinc.org/programs/caring-kitchen-project/