Seeds of Friendship

Nothing says relationship building like sharing recipes with your neighbors! In late October, Communities in Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania and Reading School District teamed up to distribute close to 200 homemade sofrito kits to 10th and Penn Elementary School neighbors.

Sofrito is the base for many delicious meals from several Hispanic countries. Kits included seeds to grow the aromatic spices necessary to create the classic seasoning blend that is essential in cooking authentic cultural meals. Communities in Schools of Eastern PA and Reading School District staff members walked door-to-door handing out packages and catching up with neighbors.

“Connecting in person with the community and sharing ingredients that will help them cook a special meal was a fantastic experience for CIS and Reading School District’s staff members,” reflected Migdalia Garcia, Associate Director of Operations, Communities in Schools of Eastern PA. “It was fun to not only build the kits but also see everyone’s smiling faces.”

The kit distribution was also a way for staff members to ensure neighbors were aware of the new parking policy allowing overnight use of the school’s parking lot. The goal was to strengthen the school’s local connections, and sharing the fan-favorite ingredients did the trick.