Damiano Center's Kids' Kitchen Is More Than a "Safe Place"

Last Saturday I shared Six Things I Didn't Know About Damiano Center, things I have only recently discovered. One of the features of Damiano Center that I wanted to elaborate on and give special recognition to is their Kids' Kitchen, a special area that is more like the set of a television show than a kitchen.

Kids' Kitchen was started because a growing number of children were coming to the Damiano Center unaccompanied by an adult. Damiano Center staff saw this as a major unmet neighborhood need.

My own first exposure to the Kids Kitchen was at a Twin Ports Social Media Breakfast held there a few years ago. Even then, however, I only knew it as a space for kids. Here's some of what I learned more recently.

The space is serves children ages 6 to 18. Most are within walking distance, but that is not a requirement. Any child from anywhere in Duluth is welcome if they have transportation. Even children five and under are welcome if accompanied by an adult. And actually, parents are welcome to help with managing the activities that take place there.

The space is filled with books, games, art projects and other activities for children of all ages.

Though Kids' Kitchen was initially designed to make sure that all children in our neighborhood have access to quality, healthy food, it is much more than that.

A Kids' Kitchen benefit that's not widely known is the employment it provides teens during the summer. These are paid positions, through their Summer Food Corps program, which help teens gain work experience and leadership development that can prepare them for future careers. One of these responsibilities include gardening. The center has a community garden where the youth help maintain and harvest foodstuff. They also get involved with food service, child care and more. (See Ashley for details.)

Volunteers are welcome in all the programs at non-profit Damiano Center. My wife, Susie, who has been a Kids' Kitchen volunteer, says, "It's such a perfect fit for my interests! I have long been a vegetable gardener, interested in healthy food, and an artist who especially enjoys working with kids who have not had so many advantages in their lives."

Kids' Kitchen works to reduce childhood hunger and malnutrition by providing nutritious meals as well as nutrition education. It's a safe place and a fun place for kids after school and during the summer.

Kids' Kitchen hours are from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday. Meals served at 5:00 p.m.

What I like is how many things the children learn just by becoming exposed to them in this space. The following pictures each tell a story.

The book shelf looks as yummy as the food.

Bob & Angel from Zenith City Books donated $1000 of books for the kids.

Games

Creativity

History 

And Values

It's all good!

Lego® Crayons: The Down Home Creator's Latest Crayon Creations

I don't know if it's the water, but there sure is a lot of creativity around here. Susie is forever coming up with new ideas, in part as an outgrowth of her volunteer work with children since her own creative kids grew up. Her latest idea was to make crayons using molds. Here are a few examples--Legos, puzzle pieces, flowers and critters, or whatever they be. I thought it best to let Susie tell the story here in her own words.

The Story and Symbolism Behind Crayons! 

EN: What is the Damiano Kids Kitchen and how did you get involved?

These are crayons, not Legos.

Susie Newman: Damiano Center began as a soup kitchen in 1982, and has since expanded into various other programs to try to meet the many needs in the community. One of the programs is Kids' Kitchen, a drop in center which emphasizes nutrition education for kids. They have an organic garden there during the summer, and provide other activities such as art.

In July, while in an art sale I met an amazing 83-year-old woman, "Grandma Nancy," who really liked my paper art. She has been a long time volunteer at Kids' Kitchen but was running out of art project ideas. I said I was brimming with ideas but had run out of an audience of kids to do them with since my mentees from Mentor Duluth have grown up. So we struck up a friendship and are now doing art together with kids there. It's such a perfect fit for my interests! I have long been a vegetable gardener, interested in healthy food, and an artist who especially enjoys working with kids who have not had so many advantages in their lives.

EN: What is it that has gotten you so excited about this crayon project?

Susie: Kids' Kitchen had been given a large donation of a huge box of crayons, which were all only red, blue, yellow and green. They were about to get thrown away as they were not being used. I had an idea. I had seen cute silicone molds of various shapes. I also found that with some mixing and melting and using my background knowledge of tints and shades I could come up with a wider variety of colors. To me this all seemed symbolic. Some kids who may not have had many advantages in their lives could be seen by our society as "throw aways" but with some creativity and effort they might become something pretty cool!

EN: Do these Lego crayons work just like real crayons?

Susie: They do! Just the shape is different.

EN: They look like great stocking stuffers. Where can people buy them?

Susie: They were a hot item at a craft/art sale I was recently in. They are a fundraiser for Damiano Kids' Kitchen and all proceeds will go to them.

I will have them at a sale at Peace Church on Dec. 1st, at a holiday sale at Oldenburg House on Dec. 7th, and a Down Home Creators Holiday Sale at our home on Dec. 15th. Or you can contact me directly at downhomecreator AT gmail.com.

EN: Anything else you wish to add?

Susie: A thank you to Grandma Nancy for generously covering the expenses of this project, and to friends who have helped cut paper off crayons.

Learn more about the work of the Damiano Center in Duluth's Central Hillside. Visit https://www.damianocenter.org/programs

Lego® Crayons, by Susie

Puzzle pieces that you can color with as well.

And other designs as well to color your world.

All proceeds from the sale of these crayons 

goes to support Kids’ Kitchen at Damiano Center.

Meantime art goes on all around you. Get into it.