Supporting the Wellness of Tribal Communities Through Nutrition Education

Cooking Matters

Cooking Matters is a Connecticut-based community nutrition, health, and wellness program focused on reducing obesity and its related health risks—such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes—in children, youth, pregnant/ parenting women, and adults. This innovative program utilizes professional chefs, nutritionists, and community volunteers to lead hands-on courses that help people plan, shop for, and prepare nutritious meals.

Program participants may participate in “grocery tours” to learn how to read nutrition labels and select affordable, nutritious ingredients that can be used to prepare healthy meals. Volunteer chefs lend their time and expertise to instruct participants on basic food preparation and cooking skills, with a focus on recipes that can feed a family of four for $10 or less.

Q4HE has allowed Cooking Matters to expand the program’s reach to communities it may have historically lacked the funding to serve but where the need is great.

Unlike most of Cooking Matters’ funders, who restrict funding to the specific geographic areas they serve within Connecticut, Q4HE has not geographically restricted Cooking Matters’ support. This will provide Cooking Matters with the flexibility to expand the program’s reach to communities it may have historically lacked the funding to serve but where the need is great.

“There are so many food deserts, and when you visit these communities, you understand the disparities and can see them. Because Quest for Health Equity’s financial support is unrestricted, it will enable us to expand into local regions we haven’t been able to reach.”

– Patricia Scussel Executive Director, Community Health Network of Connecticut Foundation, Inc.

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