Building a Healthier Brantford, One Meal at a Time

Building a Healthier Brantford, One Meal at a Time

By Deron Hamel

Ann Zhang is passionate about healthy cooking and teaching people how to create nutritious meals that are also delicious.

So, when presented with an opportunity to lead a group of people who share her passion for healthy cooking, as well as people who want to learn how to prepare meals that promote healthy living, she jumped at the chance.

It was while attending a session with ViBrant Arc (Art Reconnecting Community), one of Belonging Brant’s many citizen-led groups, that Ann was inspired to start her own Belonging Brant group.

From here, the Kind Cooks in the Kitchen group was formed.

“The more healthy living initiatives we see, the stronger and healthier our community will become.”

The group, which has been growing since its formation, is aimed at anyone interested in cooking and meeting new people to have fun with in a supportive environment.

And, of course, there’s a strong bent towards teaching people how to make healthy recipes when the group meets every second Thursday at Sydenham Heritage United Church.

Ann says her goal for the Kind Cooks in the Kitchen group is simple: to encourage people to eat healthy, which in turn helps create a healthier community.

Ann Zhang with Kind Cooks in the Kitchen.

“The more healthy living initiatives we see, the stronger and healthier our community will become,” Ann says.

Funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Belonging Brant is dedicated to creating connections and building relationships across Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations to help people contribute to their community in a meaningful way.

The project, which creates and encourages citizen-led initiatives, is particularly focused on creating opportunities for human connection and decreasing the isolation faced by so many in the community.

As someone who is new to Brantford, Ann says Belonging Brant has been an important vehicle for helping her connect with people in the community who share her interests.

“The organization supports events and initiatives that help build a sense of community, which is crucial for new members of the Brant community,” she says.

And, Ann adds, her work leading the Kind Cooks in the Kitchen group brings together some of the things that are most important to her.

“My passion is healthy living, cooking and building a stronger community,” she says.

Click here to learn more about the Kind Cooks in the Kitchen group.

Be A Newsmaker!

What If Belonging Brant Became a Lasting Community Beacon?

Belonging Brant is already a light in our community. It is the place to be. With three years under our belt and our initial funding coming to an end this October, we have the opportunity to fashion our future anew. We’d love to hear what you’ve loved about Belonging Brant, what you’d like for it to become, and what you might like to do to make that dream come true. Consider taking a few minutes to share your answers to these questions.

Join our mailing list to to receive a bi-weekly newsletter containing invitations and media related to Community Living Brant.