“Food is love,” Bird said. “I could see and taste the care and love that go into every step in making and delivering the meals fromCeres. From the quality to the creativity and the presentation of the food, to the wonderful person who left meals at my door and greeted me so warmly—it all was a godsend.” Supporting teens and communities “While the acts of cooking and delivering food are central to the Ceres mission, our transformational work i s deeper,” Couch sa id. “We’re bui lding st rong communities and helping people think of food in a broader way. That’s where we’ve grown over the years.” Named for the Roman goddess of agriculture, Ceres Community Project helps teens develop life skills as chefs and gardeners in an environment that encourages leadership and helps build awareness of healthy food systems. Adult volunteers, who also grow, prepare and deliver meals, serve as teen mentors. “We are moving teens into the community as they are asking themselves, ‘Who am I in this larger world?,’” Couch said. “The work we do helps young people figure out their value in the community and experience the power of doing something for someone else. That sense of belonging is incredible.” An army of volunteers—325 teens and more than 550 adults—work as gardeners and chefs. Last year alone, volunteers contributed nearly 42,000 hours and delivered more than 181,000 meals to 1,600 clients and their families. Nutrition and comfort Annie Simmons, the culinary program manager at Ceres, began as a volunteer in 2019 and now oversees three Ceres kitchens in Sebastopol, Santa Rosa and Novato. A former restaurant owner and culinary teacher, Simmons designs menus that provide patients with the nutrition they need and the comfort they crave. Menu favorites include oven-fried chicken and potatoes, stir-fried vegetables, meatballs, chowders and chili. All Ceres meals feature nutritionally dense ingredients—an important quality for helping the body heal. She described the kitchen scene when meals are packaged for delivery: “It’s striking to see the packages,
Sara McCamant manages the two Ceres gardens in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa and works with the kitchen staff to provide seasonal produce to clients.
which include cards and bouquets made by volunteers. When each client opens their bag, they’re reminded that they are being cared for,” Simmons said. Meals are prepared for patients as well as their families, who are dealing with the additional stress of caring for their loved ones. “We take away the worry about where the next meal is coming from,” Simmons said. Ingredients for plant-centered meals are sourced from two Ceres organic gardens, local farms and sometimes, backyards. Longtime product donors include Diestel Fami ly Ranch in Sonora, Gourmet Mushrooms/ Mycopia Mushrooms in Sebastopol, Clover Sonoma in Petaluma and Redwood Hill Farm in Sebastopol. Learnings from a garden SaraMcCamant, whomanages the two Ceres gardens in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, works with the kitchen staff to provide seasonal produce for more than 300 clients and their families every week. Year-round crops include kale and beets, and in the winter, volunteers also harvest bok choy, lettuce and green garlic. “The garden program involves a diversity of volunteers ages 14 to 19 with different abilities,” McCamant said. “The gardens create a space where young volunteers
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March/April 2022
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