Barbara began volunteering in 2009, drawn to Gleaners through personal relationships and a desire to stay engaged after stepping away from full‑time work. With a background in restaurant management and years of experience in professional kitchens, Barbara brings both practical knowledge and deep enthusiasm to teaching Cooking Matters classes.
“I start every class with a question,” she says. “I want students to teach themselves.” By using the Socratic method—combined with humor, warmth, and hands‑on demonstrations—Barbara has become a favorite among students. Over the years, she’s taught countless Cooking Matters classes, many of them serving older adults and grandparents raising grandchildren. “We teach a lot of grandparents raising grandkids,” Barbara explains. “That’s something people don’t always realize.”
For Barbara, teaching is always a two‑way street. “Every time I teach a Cooking Matters class, I learn something. Either a better way to explain something or something new about nutrition. That never stops.”
While she loves the classroom experience, Barbara says the greatest gift of volunteering has been the relationships it’s created. “Volunteering has created a huge social circle for me. Registered dietitians, educators, people who’ve gone on to work in all kinds of food‑related fields,” she says. “Especially after you retire, staying social is so important.”
Even after years of service, Barbara’s passion hasn’t faded. She continues to volunteer when she can and is always eager to step back into the classroom. “I love showing people simple things, how to crush garlic, how to break down ribs,” she says. “Those little skills matter.”
Barbara says she’s motivated to volunteer with Gleaners to give back to the community, but at the heart of her service is a desire to build new connections, continue learning, and find a sense of community along the way.
Interested in volunteering? Learn how you can get involved at Gleaners, here.
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