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Special Needs Community Dishes Out Gourmet Meals & Pie for Thanksgiving
By Michelle Talsma Everson - Thursday Nov 12, 2020
In annual tradition, Civitan Foundation is dishing up holiday spirit by offering made-to-order gourmet pies and Thanksgiving themed Grab N’ Go dinners from November 23rd through 25th. The nonprofit is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities, and all food is prepared by Civitan’s ‘Cook-er-y,’ a culinary program at Civitan Village which is fully comprised of chefs with disabilities.

“Civitan Foundation connects guests with convenient carryout options that help family and friends put the focus back on spending time together all while supporting jobs for the differently abled community,” said Kevin Gregg, the Cook-er-y’s Culinary Director. “The Cook-er-y delivers decadence and incredible value on take-home meals for families and large catering orders all year long - we are very prepared to satisfy a high volume of requests this holiday season. A delicious taste of convenience is what we are all about after this hectic year.”

Just one example of a large organization that is taking advantage of The Cookery’s catering abilities this season is Duet: Partners In Health & Aging. As part of their donor appreciation initiative this November, they will deliver cherry and apple lattice pies made by members of Civitan Foundation to their Legacy Circle and Vision Society members. “We normally host an in-person appreciation event this time of year, but we’ve had to pivot those plans due to Covid-19,” said Tina Lopez, Director of Development at Duet. “These gorgeously presented pies will let our donors how much we appreciate them and simultaneously provide an opportunity to partner with another nonprofit that we heard does such meaningful work for the community.”

“I have learned a lot about teamwork and being a chef at the Cook-er-y, and it makes me really happy to be able to make yummy food for companies and families this Thanksgiving,” said Jessica, member at Civitan.

The offerings in the menu can be ordered now by calling (602) 953-2944 or emailing [email protected]. Pick-up will be available from Monday, November 23rd through Wednesday, November 25th at 5:30 p.m.


About Civitan Foundation
Established in 1968 in Williams, Arizona, Civitan Foundation, Inc. is a Phoenix based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering superior life experiences to children and adults with disabilities. Founded as the first residential summer camp experience open to individuals of all abilities, Civitan has expanded to provide statewide high-quality programs that focus on education, nutrition & health, life skills, socialization, job training, employment and respite/habilitation/attendant care services.

About The Cook-er-y
Civitan Foundation’s culinary institute is a unique vocational culinary program that provides members with hands-on engagement, skill development and employment through cooking classes, a cafe, working garden, catering, food safety training and sustainable food business creation. The Cook-er-y offers meals, gift baskets and dessert trays for meetings, luncheons, special events. This program supports real-life experiences for adults with developmental disabilities and creates actual employment opportunities for them in the hospitality industry.