San Fernando Valley nonprofit helps families battle food insecurity with free classes
Nicholas Doran's personal struggles with poverty and love for food inspired him to create free cooking classes for families.
VAN NUYS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The skillets are hot and the chicken is sizzling as families cook together at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys for a hands-on experience with nonprofit Meals in Motion.
"It was very fun and exciting," said participant Brandon Lee.
"Our mission is to give them knowledge and tools that they can use in their everyday life to fight food insecurity and poverty," said Meals in Motion founder Nicholas Doran.
The class is part of Doran's program, Meals in Motion, which he started last year. His personal struggles with poverty and love for food inspired him to create free classes that teach parents and kids how to cook.
"Being able to cook my own food, being able to have the knowledge of how to shop for the right foods really helped me stay full first of all so I wasn't hungry," Doran said. "But it just became something I could enjoy. So I wanted to share that and the benefits go far beyond the kitchen."
Every cooking class offers a simple recipe with ingredients you can find inside your home. Doran says it's a great way to introduce inexpensive and healthy meals to families.
"We took simple chicken, garlic and cream and I don't think I saw a plate with food left on it, so it must have been a hit," Doran said.
"It really does teach the kids and us a new recipe. Plus, they're able to do the cooking parts of it and then enjoy the food part," said participant Verenice Ramirez.
"My favorite part was the chicken," said participant Jack Alexander Estrada.
Doran says family classes are offered once a month and anyone can join. But if you're looking for a one-on-one experience instead, in-home classes are also offered.
"As a nonprofit, we had to come up with a way to serve this underserved community. We came up with this idea to offer an in-home cooking class and that's a paid experience where the profits turn back and allow us to do the free activities that you see here," Doran said.
To sign up for classes, visit mealsinmotion.org.
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