MICHIGAN CITY — Michigan City’s Grace Learning Center added a new tool to its arsenal to improve community health and wellness in 2022, and is using the Learning Kitchen to help in the fight against diabetes.
According to the CDC, 11.9 percent of La Porte County’s adult residents are diabetic. That puts the county in the worst 25 percent of counties in Indiana and nationally.
Nutrition and physical activity are keys to managing Type 2 diabetes, but getting started can be a challenge, according to Linda Curley, Purdue Extension educator.
That’s why Citizens Concerned for the Homeless will be offering the Dining with Diabetes program next month, with classes facilitated by Curley.
“The health and wellness programming of CCH at the Grace Learning Center is truly a collaborative effort within our community,” said Jim Musial, executive director of the organization, of which Grace Learning Center is a part.
“The Dining with Diabetes class is only possible because Healthcare Foundation of La Porte supported our vision and organization to address diabetes and obesity not only with our participants, but with the community as a whole
“Purdue Extension agreed to provide a seasoned licensed professional in Linda to facilitate the class. Unity Foundation provided grant funding for costs associated with the class.”
Grace Learning Center has already been providing other classes with community health in mind, Musial said.
“Grace has gone through a complete metamorphosis over the last three years. Now, in addition to life skill classes, it has added a focus on health and wellness,” he said.
“In addition to a two-year mental health education program, Grace added nutrition and plant-based cooking to their curriculum, taking direct aim at and addressing diabetes management/prevention,” he said.
Grace initially conducted mostly life skill classes aimed at barriers its clients need help with, Musial said, such as job readiness, basic computer skills, nurturing parenting, banking and budgeting, and a nutrition class.
In 2021, CCH expanded its curriculum to include classes regarding mental health barriers that includes coping skills for trauma, coping skills for chronic illness, health relationships, grief group, anger management and substance abuse education classes.
“Those classes all center around the long term effects COVID-19 have on mental health,” Musial said. “The Grace Learning Center’s Teaching Kitchen was the next step in our health and wellness programming.”
Through a $51,000 HFL grant awarded June 2022, “we built the Teaching Kitchen for the specific initial purpose of addressing diabetes and obesity, which our homeless population suffer from or are at risk of.”
Build-out of the kitchen in the large classroom was completed in August 2022, with the centerpiece being a mobile cooking cart with an induction cooktop; a second oven, also with an induction cooktop; and basically a full kitchen with refrigerator/freezer, microwave, dishwasher, Musial said.
“Nutrition and cooking classes, and programs such as Dining with Diabetes, can now be interactive with hands on involvement between instructor and participants.”
In addition to a nutrition class, CCH established a plant-based cooking class facilitated by Karen Edwards, master herbalist and certified doctor of naturopathy under the American Alternative Medical Association and American Association of Drugless Practitioners Accreditation Board, Musial said.
The classes are recorded and seven currently appear on the CCH webpage, www.cch-mc.org under the Grace Learning tab.
Dining with Diabetes, has been in the planning for seven months, and will be offered at Grace Learning Center at 1007 W. 8th St. from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on March 21, 23, 28 and April 4, with a follow-up class on July 11, organizers said.
The initial four classes focus on education and food preparation, Curley said. After a general education discussion on the components of diabetes, they address snacks and appetizers, carbs and sweeteners, desserts, fats and sodium, and finishing with main and side dishes.
In the fourth week, a celebration meal is prepared by facilitator and students, served restaurant style with tablecloths, glass plates, cups and glasses, she said.
The program will be limited to 12 individuals. Adults with type 2 diabetes (or those at risk), family members, caregivers and support individuals are invited to apply for a seat at the table. Contact Grace Learning Center at 219-879-6788 to reserve seats.
Funding from the Unity Foundation allows the classes to offered free to participants. Transportation will also be provided, if needed, at no cost.
Visit the CCH website at www.cch-mc.org for more information about CCH and all its programs – Sand Castle Shelter for Homeless Families, Grace Learning Center, Keys to Hope Community Resource Center, Food Rescue Initiative and Housing Assistance Program.
