Generous Spoonfuls: Heal. Nourish. Love

Imagine the tantalizing aroma of fresh chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven. Invision a beautiful table set with the finest china and your favorite meal and the taste and comfort of your grandmother's chicken soup.

Food is love in so many cultures, it is a universal language. Food stimulates our senses and helps us feel loved. Cooking and eating together makes us feel connected; it nourishes our bodies and souls and gives us the ability to create.

Did you know that 25% of young people say they are lonely? 50% of seniors say that television is their main companion. Approximately half the people we know are longing for connection.

There is one thing universally that connects people to each other. Food! It connects us to our history, family, community and most importantly our vitality.

It's clear that there is potential for therapeutic advancement on the most basic level through food. Cooking and eating offer health benefits in addition to possibilities for connection. This is called Culinary Therapy. It is a gentle hands on experience that has the momentum to attract, include, and heal people from all walks of life.

Hi. My name is Sharona Motkin. I left Wall Street to pursue my passions and become a chef. I am the executive director of Generous Spoonfuls which is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to developing innovative culinary programming. Our mission is to contribute to the health and vitality of our participants through the use of the culinary arts as a means to engage, communicate and heal.

The benefits of culinary therapy are vast. They include:
- Engagement of all five senses
- Increased self-esteem
- Learning problem solving
- Time management skills
- Increased motor skills
- Healthy eating habits
- Cognitive Growth
- Stress Management
- Interpersonal relationships

We have relationships and provide programming to Kaiser Permanenete Woodland Hills, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Jewish Home for the Aging, New Horizons, Penny Lane and Camp Chesed. We strive to address the needs of each participant by developing creative and relevant programming.

Generous Spoonfuls needs to raise a significant amount of funding to accomplish these goals as many of the organizations we provide services to are themselves non-profits. We raise money through individual funders, organizational and corporate backing and through grant writing.

We hope you will join us on this journey, Bon Appétit!