At Clermont Park, something special happens when people gather together in the kitchen. (And it’s not just delicious food!) It’s connectedness, purpose, and the simple joy of creating something together.
Started in 2025, Cooking With Care brings residents from across Clermont Park’s neighborhoods, including independent living and skilled nursing, into one shared space. Together, they travel the world without ever leaving home. From Mediterranean flavors to Italian classics, Mexican favorites to Southern comfort and Midwest staples, each gathering offers something new to taste and something meaningful to experience.
But the menu isn’t what makes Cooking With Care truly powerful. It’s the moment.
While bacon sizzles or sauce simmers, residents linger a little longer. Conversations begin between neighbors who may not have met otherwise. Familiar faces become friends. The kitchen becomes a place where everyone belongs.
With adaptive equipment and a spirit of creativity, each resident is invited to participate in a way that feels natural and comfortable for them. Stirring, chopping, setting the table, or simply being part of the experience—every role matters, and every person contributes.
The impact reaches far beyond the meal. “One of the most rewarding parts of Cooking With Care is watching residents connect with one another through reminiscence and enjoyment of their well-deserved, home-cooked meal,” says Erin Klein, Clermont Park’s Life Enrichment Coordinator. “Residents who may not have known one another before are now building relationships based on a mutual desire to create a welcoming, home-like environment where we encourage storytelling and highlighting everyone’s skillset.”
One team member shared the story of a resident who typically relied on a very limited meal routine – grilled cheese or cereal, day after day. In January, she joined Cooking With Care as the group prepared a Hawaiian loco moco – an iconic Island comfort food of white rice topped with a hamburger patty, brown gravy, and a fried egg. Not only did she try the meal, she finished it and savored every bite—because she helped cook it with her community.
That moment reflects something deeper. Confidence. Curiosity. A willingness to step into something new.
Residents often describe the meals as “dynamite,” but what they’re really expressing is something harder to name: the feeling of being part of something bigger. Of being seen and well known. Of sharing life together with their neighbors and friends.
Programs like Cooking With Care are made possible through the generosity of supporters of our community and our parent organization, Christian Living Communities (CLC). Cooking With Care is one example of the lasting impact of the Gil and Jeanette Deters estate gift, made more than 20 years ago. Carefully invested, that generosity continues to provide meaningful experiences for older adults today.
