Alliance ministry is cooking up food and a wholesome family activity

Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository
·2 min read
Brenda Johnson demonstrates how to properly hold and use a chef's knife to Austin Pulivarthy, 10, right, during a Youth and Parent Cooking Classes on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at the Family Matters Resource Center.
Brenda Johnson demonstrates how to properly hold and use a chef's knife to Austin Pulivarthy, 10, right, during a Youth and Parent Cooking Classes on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at the Family Matters Resource Center.

ALLIANCE − There's something special cookin' at the Family Matter Resource Center − and it's not just a delicious meal.

Family Empowerment Ministries is playing host to Youth and Parent Cooking Classes on the second Friday of every month in its center on East Market Street. The faith-based organization, founded in 2017, is run by the Rev. Raymont Johnson and his wife, Brenda.

The free class − now, in its third year − invites children ages 5 and older and a parent or guardian to learn, cook and share a meal. It runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. No toddlers or babies are permitted, and parents or guardians must stay with their children.

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Andrew Pulivarthy, 6, gets an assist with soy sauce from Ashton Pulivarthy, 10, as they prepare Beef Lo Mein on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, during a Youth and Parent Cooking Class at the Family Matters Resource Center.
Andrew Pulivarthy, 6, gets an assist with soy sauce from Ashton Pulivarthy, 10, as they prepare Beef Lo Mein on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, during a Youth and Parent Cooking Class at the Family Matters Resource Center.

The most recent class was Friday, when beef lo mein and chicken paprikash were on the menu. The next class will be March 8.

Brenda Johnson, a passionate cook and baker in her own right, runs the class.

"I like to see people enjoy food, and I like to cook for people. That's sort of my love language to cook for others," she said. "I love to experiment with different types of food. It's also good therapy for me. I know I'm doing something that people are going to enjoy."

A digital poster of "Youth and Parent Cooking Classes" at Family Matters Resource Center in downtown Alliance.
A digital poster of "Youth and Parent Cooking Classes" at Family Matters Resource Center in downtown Alliance.

Johnson said the cooking class evolved out of a pre-COVID program the ministry called "Sing for Your Supper," which taught children how to cook and sing. The pandemic ended the program. The ministry returned in 2022, reformatted as a class for youth and parents.

Johnson said they wanted to give families an opportunity to learn a skill and be removed from their daily stresses and distractions to bond. "You're unplugged. You're creating. You're using your hands not to scroll but to create," she said.

The class involves five to six families with 15 to 20 children. More families are welcome, she said.

Johnson said she teaches different lessons on food, including food safety and making healthy choices before participants get a recipe and all the ingredients. She said they cook and eat, followed by a dance party that frequently breaks out.

Elvie Hafner, left, and Meralyn Zigler cut chicken into small pieces for a chicken parmesan dish they parepared Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, during a Youth and Parent Cooking Class at Family Matters Resource Center in Alliance.
Elvie Hafner, left, and Meralyn Zigler cut chicken into small pieces for a chicken parmesan dish they parepared Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, during a Youth and Parent Cooking Class at Family Matters Resource Center in Alliance.

"Here, in Alliance, we don't have many activities for children. We don't have a Boys and Girls Club. We don't have those types of things," she said. "So our goal has been to create more for youth and families to do more wholesome activities, safe places for families and kids to go."

To learn more or reserve a spot, call 330-913-7007. Limited transportation is available upon request.

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Family Empowerment Ministries of Alliance has family cooking classes