Guest Column: Free culinary school provides answers to hunger issue
We all know what it feels like to wake up hungry. But what if you were unable to satisfy that hunger with a quick breakfast?
What if, at the noon hour, you still had not eaten? Or, when you went back to sleep that same night you had yet to satisfy the hunger that you felt when you woke that morning? What would you do?
It is estimated that one in eight Americans struggle with hunger every day. Hunger is defined as “the most severe form of food insecurity, where there is not enough food for adults or children in the family.”
True or false … hunger is not an issue in Montana. That is false; in fact the Montana Food Bank Network’s website states “over 200,000 households in Montana received emergency food assistance in 2009” – nearly half of these people fighting the battle of food insecurity were children.
Food insecurity is defined as “the inability to access nutritionally adequate food for the family, in a consistent, sustainable and socially acceptable manner and leads to poorer food choices as well as reduced food intake for adults and children.”
Hunger is a serious issue here in Lincoln County. To help combat that problem, a group has formed to help local families overcome this issue. The sole purpose of the Lincoln County Culinary School is to provide free classes to families and inform them of ways to stretch their food dollars, create healthy, balanced meals in the home and become food secure.
Families will see how to utilize all resources within the community. This includes using the weekly circulars and coupons to plan that week’s menu. Attendees will be provided useful information on learning ways to get the most out of their grocery budget as well as ideas for new recipes.
Everyone interested is invited to come to this free class. Come join in the fun and eat a delicious and nutritious meal. Together we can stamp out hunger in Lincoln County one family at a time!
(Amanda Fitch is the Lincoln County Culinary School coordinator and Libby Elementary School Family Center coordinator. She can be reached at 293-8881 during daytime hours or 293-4410 during evenings and on weekends, or via e-mail at fitcha@libby.k12.mt.us )
LCCS classes
The Lincoln County Culinary School holds monthly classes in Libby. The classes will always be held the last Thursday at 6 p.m. All food used in the class is provided.
The next class is Thursday, Feb. 25, in the Libby High School cafeteria.
The class is made possible through grant funding provided by the Montana Food Bank Network, and local cooperation from Libby Schools Family Centers, After School Program, Libby Food Pantry, Troy Food Pantry, Tobacco Valley Food Pantry and MSU Extension–Snap Ed.