🍳 Cooking Together at Gracious Hands: Kavurma, Conversation, and Care
Mosaic of Charlotte spent another meaningful afternoon at Gracious Hands Women’s Shelter, hosting a cooking class centered around the art of preparing Kavurma. This traditional dish, rich in both flavor and history, served as the centerpiece for a session where food became a vessel for culture, connection, and trust.
These ongoing classes at the shelter are more than just culinary lessons; they are a space where we gather as neighbors to create something beautiful together.
👩🍳 More Than a Meal: Building Community in the Kitchen
The gathering was about much more than the recipe. As the Kavurma simmered, the kitchen was filled with the familiar comfort of shared work.
Exchanging Stories: Personal histories were shared over the cutting boards.
Shared Traditions: We explored the cultural significance of Qurban meat and traditional cooking methods.
Laughter and Connection: The atmosphere was warm and joyful, proving that a kitchen is often the heart of a community.
Through these sessions, we reinforce the power of shared cooking in building dignity, belonging, and lasting connection.
🧸 Bringing Joy to the Little Ones
During our visit in May 2025, we were also able to deliver toys for the children living at the shelter, thanks to the generosity of Embrace Relief. We were moved to learn that the shelter rarely receives toy donations, even during major holiday seasons.
This served as a poignant reminder that while nourishment for the body is vital, providing moments of joy and play for children is just as essential to the well-being of the families we serve.
“A kind word and a shared meal are the simplest ways to heal a heart.”
We are committed to showing care not only through the food we provide but through the happiness we can bring to the youngest members of our community.
💙 How You Can Help
We are grateful for the opportunity to continue these classes and are eager to bring this experience to other shelters across Charlotte. We extend our thanks to:
Gracious Hands for opening their kitchen to us.
Embrace Relief for making the toy drive a reality.
Our Volunteers for sharing their culinary skills and their hearts.
Help us turn shared meals into shared moments. Whether you want to support future cooking classes, food deliveries, or help grow our toy drive, we would love to hear from you.
📥 Donate via Zelle: charlotte@divancenter.org
📸 See the Kitchen in Action: 👉 View the Instagram Post