MUNCIE, April 15, 2023 – An incredible total was raised Saturday night in support of TeenWorks, a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering teens to achieve excellence. In the first annual 20 Teens Who Cook, 20 talented TeenWorks teens partnered with community leaders went head-to-head in a friendly culinary showdown of hor d’oeuvres, appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts.
Jennifer Wilson, and her teen sous chef, Tiarra, were crowned the victors. They won in both categories, top fundraisers raising more than $1,500 for TeenWorks and best dish, receiving more than $500 in tips in support of their delicious Wild Green Beans. Jennifer shared that she chose to participate in 20 Teens Who Cook because “my husband and I own 2 local businesses and we employ teens at our businesses so (this) is a chance to show these teens that you can take a dream and make a business out of it. We love to support our community and happy to support the teens.”
This event was generously supported by community businesses including Ball State University, Coca-Cola, Old National, Schaefer Leadership Academy, and Midas. Chef and Midas Owner, Marshall Farmer shared that Midas continues to support organizations like TeenWorks because “Jack (Surface) was keen on doing community support. A lot of that support was geared towards single moms and underserved families. Jackiy and I both feel that the need for that has grown, and it is our goal to continue with that legacy and to be a fixture for the community, a safe place to go not just for service but for people that need support.”
The $15,700 raised through this event will support teens in Delaware County. TeenWorks offers high school students paid summer employment and mentoring at nonprofit organizations. During the six-week summer program, teens also develop self-knowledge and build professional skills, such as financial literacy, resume writing, interviewing, and networking. Upon successful completion of the summer program, teens are eligible to participate in TeenWorks’ Pro Program. Through Pro, teens receive one-to-one career exploration guidance, post-secondary planning support, and professional development opportunities that build on the foundational skills learned over the summer.
Teens like Muncie Central High School Senior, Maela Cole benefit from the funds raised to support TeenWorks’ programming. Maela has been a long-time participant in TeenWorks’ summer program and continues to be involved in their year-round programming. This fall Maela will be “attending Ball State debt-free, and I’ll be paid to go to college due to all these insane scholarships I have. And I have TeenWorks to thank for pushing me to succeed, helping me develop my goals for the future, and making sure I’m thriving. Without TeenWorks, I would probably still be confused and stuck. So, I’m glad I had the whim to fill out the application, as that whim has truly changed my life.”
