Food for Thought is a free all-girls teen program hosted at Gloria J. Parks Community Center that strives to foster personal growth, resilience, and educational success in girls aged 14 to 18 living in Buffalo! Teens will learn affordable, nutritious meals and snacks they can cook at home, while developing friendships with their peers, and finding inspiration through activities with local community role models. 

The program has two main components:

• A cooking class
• A character development workshop

Teens cook homemade, nutritious meals, to internalize wellness habits and help prevent certain health issues. The girls will eat and socialize with guest experts to develop trust and social skills with adults outside of their families. During the character development workshops, guest experts will lead experiential, interactive activities exploring subjects like self-esteem, positive relationships, health, and college and career preparation.