Where Love Grows Inc.
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Mission Statement
Where Love Grows, established 12/14/2012, maintains ZERO TOLERANCE for childhood hunger. Proper nourishment should never be denied to children as nutrition strongly affects individual growth and development which ultimately affects everyone. Our mission is to end hunger for children and families beginning in our community as we make love grow. This is our story...... On January 15th, 2013, Where Love Grows hosted our first Family Dinner Night for children at a local Boys and Girls Club. The intent was to share dinner around the table, a tradition we enjoy. That night our goal was accomplished, however, we also witnessed childhood hunger. Learning that Tampa has one of the highest rates in the country, we knew we wanted to do more. What was originally scheduled to be an annual event has turned into 36,000+ meals over the past 10+ years. In 2014, we offered another family tradition, cooking classes generously hosted by the Epicurean Hotel. In 2016, we took the program on the road creating our Mobile Cooking Program offered to children along with family classes. To date, over 1700 attendees in all. We have learned our events are so much more than the meal or class we share. We witness children and families enjoying time together, friendships strengthening, and new bonds being created as we enjoy some great food! After our first event, our mission was to end hunger for children. That mission remains, but we also look to make love grow. Even after hunger no longer exists, we want to see our dinners and classes continue to strengthen family bonds and friendships which ultimately strengthen our community. Thank you for helping us make love grow! Where Love Grows, Where Children Leave with Bellies Full of Food and Hearts Full of Love… Please visit www.wherelovegrows.org to learn more
About This Cause
Since our first event on 1/15/13, we have provided over 44,000 meals but there is still much more to be done. Our efforts began with family style dinners to feed children living with food insecurity and expanded to teaching the life skill of cooking. Our family dinner night events in support of school events has helped to triple parental involvement which ultimately benefits everyone in our community. December 2013, inspired by the Chinese Proverb, “Feed a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime”, teaching children to cook was the obvious next step. June 2014, this vision came to fruition as Where Love Grows partnered with the Epicurean Hotel launching our 1st EPIC Summer Cooking Series. March 2016, Where Love Grows took a leap of faith and launched a mobile version of the EPIC Summer Cooking Series, Where Love Grows Mobile Cooking Program was born. To date, we have hosted over 7700 hours of classes to over 2200 attendees. The mobility of the program solves transportation issues and provides an opportunity that otherwise would not exist. Children are taught the basics of cooking nutritious meals for themselves and their families. In 2020, the National Education Assoc. included "Lessons in the Kitchen" as part of S.T.E.M. education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Children learn without realizing it! The program is making strides through a positive experience for the children we serve that extends to their families creating a sense of hope that did not exist. In 2019, we expanded the program to include a family version at Title 1 Community Schools. Families enjoy the same benefits as they cook and create stronger bonds. During the pandemic, Where Love Grows quickly adapted, offering virtual cooking classes, hosting over 230 families through our new virtual model. Where Love Grows’ strives to nourish those we serve beyond the meal or class we host. We were thrilled to be back in person at the Epicurean Hotel, June 2022, hosting 30 students from local Boys and Girls Clubs. The excitement was at the highest level! See the ABC Action News clip to see the students in action– click here USF DEPT. OF ANTHROPOLOGY CENTER FOR FOOD SECURITY AND HEALTH COMMUNITIES: USF, under the direction of David Himmelgreen, Chair and Professor Dept. of Anthropology, completed an evaluation of the Where Love Grows Mobile Cooking Program. Evaluation was presented Fall 2019. The findings provided validation of the many benefits we witness first-hand and are experienced by the students during the program. DOCUMENTED BENEFITS: Increased confidence and self-esteem - sharing of knowledge and collaboration Learned cooperation, patience, socialization Through recipe management, kitchen vocabulary and math skills improved Teamwork experience leading to acceptance of those who are different 79.7% of the students eat more vegetables & 88.4% continue to cook post series