Like many food box recipients, Letxy also volunteers at her local food pantry, because she wants to give back. Letxy knows it can be hard to ask for help.
“Some people have never been to a pantry before. Sometimes it takes everything they have to walk through that door. My life is no different. I’m just like them. We’re all human.”
She completed a six-week Cooking Matters class offered by FOOD for Lane County. Cooking Matters classes are one way FOOD for Lane County is helping people help themselves. Letxy and her fellow students learned how to cook with spices, how to make hummus, how to read nutrition labels, how to make healthy food choices and how to make the most of their dollars at the grocery store.
“Now when I get apples from the pantry, I make apple butter and apple rings. I use rosemary and oregano more than ever before. I always use fresh garlic. I steam my vegetables now. I used to microwave them. I learned to massage kale. My family loves my chicken fried steak. It’s cheap. I bake a lot in the winter to heat the house up. It’s cheaper than turning the heat on.”