Two Jersey charities have teamed up to provide nutritious meals to vulnerable families – while also offering work experience to people with learning disabilities and autism.
Food charity Caring Cooks and social enterprise Beresford Street Kitchen have together launched ‘The Weekly Social’, a meal service offering freshly prepared, balanced dishes to households across the island.
The initiative, which begins as a pilot on Saturday 26 July, marks a new chapter for Caring Cooks’ long-running weekly meal service, now operated in partnership with BSK.
The new service will provide meals every Saturday to families referred through a network of schools, charities and agencies.
Each household will receive a main meal with vegetables and a simple side dish, designed to be nutritious, easy to reheat and suitable for children.
Yvonne Corbin, CEO of Caring Cooks, said the partnership was designed to meet growing demand while upholding the charity’s core values.
She said: “We know how much pressure many families are under just to put a meal on the table. At the same time, it’s so important to us that our support is dignified and family-oriented.
“This partnership allows us to continue delivering balanced, child-friendly meals every week while also supporting the inspiring work BSK does in creating and inspiring inclusive workplaces. It really is a perfect fit.”
BSK, which provides training and employment for people with learning disabilities and autism, will be preparing the meals as part of the collaboration.
Gabby Ellmers, CEO of Beresford Street Kitchen, said: “This is exactly the kind of meaningful collaboration we value, giving our crew the opportunity to contribute directly to the community while gaining skills, confidence and independence ready to move on from BSK when they graduate.
“It’s great to see two values-driven organisations coming together to make a real difference for our community.”