The young women of Applewood Transitions are benefiting from new programming options implemented by Director Kelly Pennington. The young women are learning skills they can implement in their everyday lives now and take with them when they complete the program.

Pennington has enlisted the assistance of Joan Ferguson, a community resident who is establishing her own commerical bakery. Ferguson recently began teaching baking classes twice a week at Applewood. Ferguson was introduced to baking when she was four years old and started cooking for her family at fourteen. “I feel like people smile when they eat something tasty. Making healthy, delicious foods and sharing that bit of joy with smiling other, lights my soul,” Ferguson explained. The clients have the opportunity to learn the entire baking process. So far, the young women have learned to bake a variety of cinnamon rolls and a few kinds of cakes. They are also learning how to decorate the cakes for special occasions or just to make the products beautiful. One of the young ladies said, “I like the classes because I get to bond with my peers and use my creativity.” Another client explained, “I enjoy the baking class because it boosts my self-esteem, and I get to learn the precision of baking and about food.” “Joan does an outstanding job communicating and helping the young women learn and accomplish each task during the classes,” said Pennington; she continued “Applewood Transitions is fortunate to have Joan’s baking classes and the young women look forward to the classes each week.”

Along with the baking classes, Pennington has begun weekly cooking classes for the young ladies. Pennington has a degree in Culinary Arts, so the clients have been learning the entire process of preparing a meal from budgeting and purchasing ingredients to cook each dish and cleaning up after they have all enjoyed the meal. The clients are also building healthy peer relationships and interpersonal communication skills during these classes. “Food is often a challenge for young adult women,” said Pennington, “and incorporating these types of experiences is allowing us to discuss some of those issues while also teaching the culinary skills they enjoy, and normalizing healthy, creative cooking with self-regulation and healthy eating patterns. 

Applewood Transitions for Young Women is a part of the Q&A Associates family of programs. 

About Q&A Family of Programs

Q&A Family of Programs works with young adults ages 18 and up, providing opportunities for each of them to develop independent, functional, and happy lives with a high level of quality. Our clients have struggled to reach independence for a variety of reasons such as the inability to develop and/or implement the life skills needed to be successful, or struggling to obtain consistent employment. Our goal is to help these individuals find meaning and an authentic purpose for their lives and a practical path to achieve their goals.