Girl Scout creates gourmet meals at the food pantry
Hunger affects thousands of Southern Coloradans every day. For those people, the shelves at local food pantries can seem like an oasis.
That was especially true after the Black Forest fire, when hundreds of additional families came to rely on food banks.
Madeline McWhorter had several friends who fell into that category.
“They had to use food pantries when they didn’t necessarily have to before,” she said.
As a Girl Scout, she has a passion for helping her community. She also has a passion for cooking, so she came up with a way to do both.
“I wanted to do something to help these people and other people know what to do with the ingredients that they’re receiving,” she said.
The result is a cookbook titled “A Fork in the Road,” with more than 60 recipes from foods that you would find at a food pantry. Madeline has one that’s her favorite.
“My grandmother’s spaghetti sauce recipe. It has been in my family for generations and this is only the second time that it’s been written down,” she said.
About 200 people receive food assistance from the Tri Lakes Cares Community Resource Center food bank and with the holidays approaching, the need is expected to rise. So the cookbook that was donated Monday will come in handy for those that get assistance there.
Speaking of the holidays, Madeline’s cookbook will be a part of the holiday baskets that Tri Lakes Cares will be sending out this year.
“She’s put together some tri-fold recipes that will include ingredients that will be in those baskets,” said JP Galusky, the food program manager for Tri Lakes Cares.
Her book may be hot off the press, but Madeline hopes her efforts will last for years to come.
“I hope to help a lot of people,” she said.
Madeline received a Gold Award for her book from the Girl Scouts. She is also selling copies of her book. The proceeds will also benefit Tri Lakes Cares.
