The Access Center for Independent Living (ACIL) is excited to help people with disabilities learn to cook and connect with others through Kitchen Connection
ACIL is excited to once again be offering a service unique to our CIL, virtual cooking classes aimed at helping people with disabilities learn to cook and connecting with others, called Kitchen Connection.
“ACIL decided to use COVID-19 funding to encourage people with disabilities to eat healthy and bond over food,” said Barb Butler-Thomas, Independent Living Specialist at ACIL, who teaches Kitchen Connection. “I am excited to be offering Kitchen Connection to consumers again after a long hiatus.”
Kitchen Connection will be held once a month via Zoom for the remainder of 2025. Participants are sent a workbook via mail or email depending on their preference after registering for a Kitchen Connection class. The workbook will have not only the recipe being cooked in the class that month, but also space for them to write down what they experienced cooking the recipe at home.
“Kitchen Connection is appropriate for anyone with a disability. When someone initially registers for Kitchen Connection, I conduct an intake and discuss with them any accommodation that [they] might need to participate and how ACIL can best fulfill them,” said Barb. “For example, if someone with a visual impairment registers for a Kitchen Connection class, I do my best to describe what I am doing while cooking the recipe, so the person with the visual impairment feels like part of the class.”
New participants will gain access to the Kitchen Connection schedule for the remainder of 2025 once they register for a class and have an intake meeting with Barb. While people can register for Kitchen Connection at any time, she recommends that those who are new and need accommodations to participate, register at least a week before the class so that there is enough time to ensure accommodations are fulfilled.
Barb works hard to make everyone, even those who are entirely new to cooking, feel welcome in Kitchen Connection.
“We not only talk through making an entire recipe in each class, but we also talk through how to properly use the kitchen tools and appliances required to make it. People new to cooking shouldn’t be afraid to join Kitchen Connection, but if someone would like to work one on one with me as an IL Specialist on a more personal, detailed cooking or kitchen related goal, they are welcome to do that,” she said.
Each Kitchen Connection class takes about an hour but varies slightly depending on the recipe being made. Barb does her best to make sure Kitchen Connection recipes are healthy and cost effective.
“I try to incorporate a variety of recipes into Kitchen Connection. In the past, participants were able to learn about different cultures while cooking recipes. Sometimes I’ll also open the floor to participants for recipe suggestions, as long as recipes are healthy and cost friendly. The cost of each recipe is shown and broken down in each Kitchen Connection workbook,” she said.
In addition to cooking recipes, in the past, Kitchen Connection participants have discussed things like appropriate ingredient substitution for those with allergies, cost-friendly adaptive equipment that can make it easier for people with disabilities to cook, and how to access help from food pantries in local communities.
“I allow Kitchen Connection participants to lead the conversation and help one another. I give input when needed. Past participants seemed to really enjoy connecting with one another through cooking. I am excited to be offering Kitchen Connection again,” said Barb. “I hope more people will join in 2025.”
Kitchen Connection is currently only being virtually via Zoom, but ACIL hopes to also offer Kitchen Connection in-person in the future.
Kitchen connection is a year-long program divided into two parts. Part one, hosted from February to June, will consist of me making and sharing videos of myself cooking recipes and discussing food safety. I will meet over Zoom with anyone interested in those recipes,” said Barb. “Part two, hosted from July to December, will be cooking classes taught once a month.”
The schedule for Kitchen Connection will be announced closer to July. Interested in Kitchen Connection? Register today by calling Barb at 937-341-5202 Ext 102 or emailing [email protected].
