ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — With most of their classmates already gone home for the day, about a dozen Grade 7 students at Brother Rice Junior High in St. John's remain in a kitchen cooking up a storm.
It's no small production, as they're not cooking for themselves. These students are making meals for Thrive, a non-profit organization that helps vulnerable youth and young adults in St. John's.
"I think it makes you feel very fulfilled, because it's something that you do for people who really need stuff," said Landen Lee, one of the students helping out on this particular afternoon in the home economics kitchen.
They usually cook for a couple of hours, and by 4 or 4:30 p.m. someone from Thrive will swing by to collect the meals — they prepare enough food to serve 125 people, on average. That number goes up during the winter.
"I always wanted to help people in need, but I really didn't know how," said Sofia Alberto, another student. "I just like helping out."
Taking turns
There are three different groups who take turns each Thursday in the kitchen, and some former Brother Rice students now attending Holy Heart of Mary High School next door still swing by to lend a hand and mentor the junior high students. There are about 70 Brother Rice students taking part in the project. Alumni attending Holy Heart also cook on their own in the breakfast club kitchen for both Thrive and Brother Rice students who need a lunch.
"At the beginning, we would divide into bakers or cookers, and then they would tell us what we were making and give us the instructions, and if we ever needed help, they would help us," Alberto said.
This is the third school year students at Brother Rice have been making meals for youth involved with Thrive.
Beyond getting to help out fellow youth, the students develop skills they can put to use at home.
"Our students benefit from obtaining really excellent skills," explained Lillian Sheppard, one of the teachers at the school who helps out in the kitchen. "They can cook for themselves. So not only are they cooking for young people their age, a little older and a little bit younger, but they can cook for themselves now. Oftentimes they'll take these recipes home and make them for their family.
“It makes them better citizens in that we've created the opportunity for these young people to stand up and say, 'We want to do something about helping hunger.' ... And they're hanging out and doing their thing, enjoying every second of it."
BRJH is organizing a Food Drive to help members of the community in need after the SOE. Please see the following if you would like to help! https://t.co/QDHfCfrFfy
— Brother Rice (@BRJH_Celtics) January 28, 2020
Donations help
The ingredients come from donations to the school. Sheppard said they're frugal when it comes to making use of the resources they have.
"We shop sales and when people hear about us, sometimes they'll donate grocery cards. Sometimes food. We've got bags of potatoes coming in that someone donated," said Sheppard.
"We actually feed these patrons of Thrive for approximately $1.25 to $1.75 per person, including dessert. And it's not unhealthy food."
Among the meals these Grade 7 students have learned to cook this school year are teriyaki chicken, meatball sandwiches, spaghetti and chicken alfredo. On this particular Thursday, the students were cooking a pork, vegetables and rice stir-fry. Students at Brother Rice have also prepared casseroles and moose pie.
"I think it's a good thing to do and it's a way to help people in our community," said Grade 7 student Brooklyn Fahey.
It can get crowded in the kitchen, depending on how many students show up any given Thursday. Alberto said it also tends to get hot in the kitchen.
But they're having fun doing a good deed for others, and some students The Telegram spoke with suggested they could one day see themselves working in a kitchen.
"It would be fun," said Alberto.
Some students involved in the Thrive project also keep busy on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by preparing breakfast for the school breakfast program.
Big help
Aaron Patey, an outreach co-ordinator with Thrive, is responsible for organizing its Thursday suppers. He’s thankful to have Brother Rice on board with Thrive and appreciates how much good work they put into attracting food donations.
“If it wasn’t for them, we honestly wouldn’t be able to keep up with everything,” he said. “There’s such a need for someone to step in and help.”
The quality of the meals prepared at Brother Rice also impresses Patey.
“Before, we used to do soup and sandwiches and stuff like that. With Brother Rice’s help, we’re able to get fully-cooked meals, and people absolutely love it.”
He noted Thrives’ guests get a kick out of eating meals prepared by kids in junior high school.
“Every time they’re like, ‘The kids made this?’ They’re always surprised and shocked that they’re able to make such good food,” Patey said. “It’s just such a beneficial thing for both sides, really, because the students get to learn so much about our community, and the need.”
In addition to Brother Rice, students at Gonzaga High School in St. John’s have started pitching in to help Thrive. Patey said its students have cooked meals on a couple of occasions in the last few months.
Twitter: @CBNAndrew
