Faithful Families program helps participants gain life skills

Faithful Families, a program delivered by Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, is a weekly class offered at Dégagé Ministries. This specific program focuses on helping participants gain the skills they need to buy and prepare nutritious, budget-friendly foods, increase their physical activity, and stretch their food dollars.

Chris Gravelyn, our Kitchen Manager, and Suzan Couzens, our Community Nurse, went through training to become lay leaders in order to work alongside Christi Demitz from MSU Extension. Christi says, “I am very interested in community education, and I enjoy being with this group.”

Dégagé is the first to offer this program, and our staff members are pleased with its success. Chris Gravelyn, our Kitchen Manager, expresses his support of the program, “I’m excited about the interest and participation by our patrons. The food they are receiving and the choices they make are nourishing to their bodies and their souls.”

Our patrons have also responded positively to the classes. Mary, a patron who currently stays in our Open Door Women’s Center, stated that the things she is learning in these classes will be helpful to her when she moves into her own apartment. She says, “It has taught me how to make healthy choices and has given me cooking ideas!” Alice, a patron who has never missed a class, says that she enjoys the faithfulness of the group.

We are grateful for opportunities to expand Dégagé’s walls by offering programs from our community. Our patrons feel empowered when they receive useful life skills such as those taught in classes like Faithful Families.

Written by Molly Hilbert