On Thursday, Nov. 18, the African American Male Wellness Agency again hosts Cooking with Dads, a program underneath the agency’s Fatherhood Initiative that promotes health and wellness in an interactive format.
The free event will be hosted at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and will feature interactive cooking demonstrations, community vendors, and activities for children 3 to 12 years old.
Established in 2004, the African American Male Wellness Agency’s mission is to increase the life expectancy of African American men in physical health, mental health, financial health, fatherhood and research, the latter two of which are used to develop men into great fathers and remove barriers that may hinder their participation in the lives of their children.
Malcolm White, program manager for the Fatherhood Initiative, said the initiative was created to support and build a community of active fathers in Central Ohio.
The initiative is a means ofstrengthening the father’s position in their homes by ensuring they areempowered and prepared to provide for their children andbe a utility in their communities, through programming, engagement, outreach and resources.
With Cooking with Dads, White said it will be an educational and fun experience.
“The mission of Cooking With Dads is to promote health and wellness amongst children and to improve the relationships between fathers and children,” said White. “Dads and their children are able to participate in interactive healthy cooking demonstrations with local and national celebrity chefs, receive a swag bag filled with goodies, and participate in wellness exercises.”
The event is also combined with a nutrition and wellness fair. On-site vendors include local businesses, community organizations and community partners with resources and products for dads and their families. Children can receive items such as healthy foods, coloring books, toothbrushes and books.
There will also be activities such as bounce houses, photo booths, carnival games and more.
Attendees of Cooking with Dads will go home with a dinner kit provided by HelloFresh. The agency is encouraging all dads and their families to attend.
Cooking with Dads takes place Thursday, Nov. 18 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Visit aawellness.org for more information.