We provide a vehicle to approach the devastating disease of cancer in a positive, hopeful manner, while strengthening the community.

Student Cooks

We are a unique multi-generational service organization, allowing others to come together to experience the joy of serving and the strength of coming together as a community regardless of age or ability.

Click below to visit our Volunteer page. You can then access and print the forms needed to get started on your journey to serving others.

Yes, I’m Interested in Becoming a Student Cook

Adult Cooks

We help build meaningful relationships amongst all members of the community, providing ways for children, teens and adults associated with a variety of organizations to interact on behalf of those most vulnerable and in need of support.

Adult Volunteer Sign Up

Current VP Adult Cooks can sign up for a shift using the SignUp.com link below.

If you’re interested in becoming an adult cook, click below to visit our Volunteer page where you can download and print the Volunteer Application and Emergency Medical Form, or call us at 440-348-9401 to learn how to get started volunteering!

Yes, I’m Interested in Becoming a Volunteer

Green Aprons

Truly connecting is learning to care for one another, taking time to build relationships, sharing ourselves and our resources to better our community.

Current Adult Kitchen Signup

For registered kitchen volunteers – if you’re interested in becoming a volunteer in the kitchen, contact us at (440) 348.9401

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. ― Hippocrates

Nourishing clients and their families through healthy, nutritious meals.

What‘s Cooking In The Kitchen?

Meet Janis Reinke, Village Project’s Culinary Director.

Highly talented, Janice joined Village Project in 2015. She graduated with Academic Honors from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (Boulder, CO) where she completed the Escoffier Culinary Arts Fundamentals Program. Janice also completed a 6-week internship with Marigold Catering Co. in Cleveland, OH.

As Culinary Director, she oversees our kitchen program, designing menus that are both nourishing and delicious. Recipes are carefully selected; they are nutrient dense and are free from white flour, processed sugar and red meat.

Along with three complete meals that are delivered weekly to the entire family, clients also receive a wonderful herb and vegetable immunity broth. During periods of treatment, radiation and chemotherapy can diminish a client’s appetite and ability to swallow. Prepared weekly in our kitchen, this broth simmers for hours and provides essential nutrients so critical to maintaining the individual’s strength.

Menu for the week of December 3rd:

Coconut Pudding
Mediterranean Baked Chicken
Vegan Basil Cream Pasta & Tomatoes
Vegan Carrot & Ginger Soup and Roasted Fingerling
Mixed Green Salad

Meet Kira Wynocker, our new Culinary Assistant!

A nurse by day, a mother and chef come night, Kira knows the value and potential impact of a wholesome, healthy meal. When she isn’t delivering babies at Cleveland Clinic’s Fairview birthing center, helping women assume the mantle of motherhood, she’s cooking for or with her four children; helping friends in need or baking with her 98 year old grandmother. Kira loves food- preparing, sharing and savoring- but her primary goal in life is to nurture and nourish. At the Village Project, she looks forward to pursuing both passions!

Gatherings From The Garden

Meet Sherri Reilly, Village Project’s Garden Coordinator

This is Sherri’s 7th year as our Garden Coordinator. With a background in Outdoor Education, and a degree in Elementary Education from Ohio State University, Sherri organizes adult volunteers to help weed and water. She also guides and teaches children twice a week, in every aspect of gardening-prepping soil, weeding, planting, watering, pruning, harvesting herbs and vegetables, cutting flowers, and collecting seeds for a later planting.

“I became involved with Village Project partially, because I lost my mother to cancer when I was 15 and also because it was an organization that provided our entire family an opportunity to volunteer in some way.

Over the years, I have donated much of my time to volunteering. It’s so rewarding to give back to my community and support others in their efforts to do the same. I enjoy gardening, cooking and the outdoors (especially with children), so this is the perfect fit.

My hope is that the children that I work with are learning the joy of serving and helping others, while having fun at the same time.”

Garden Update

Heavy harvesting has been ongoing in our plots, in anticipation of cooler weather arriving
In addition to the mint and parsley needed in the kitchen recently, volunteers have harvested lots of lemon thyme, regular thyme, parsnips, celery with tops, some beets and a little dill. Tomatoes are also abundant; ripe ones that are ready to use, as well as green, that will still need ripening. The last veggies harvested include a small number of green peppers–picked just in time before the heavy fall rains!
The kids have also been collecting seeds from many of our flowers and vegetables. These will be used for next year’s growing season. You may even find them available for purchase in our new store, Project Shoppe.
All in all, it has been a wonderful and productive garden season!

Did you know?

Village Project plants, harvests and maintains (8) 4 x 8 ft. organic plots in the Community Garden, located at the corner of Wolf and Forestview Roads in Bay Village.
Every season, Sherri teaches young children, as well as older teens and adults, the basics and joys of gardening.
Flowers, herbs and vegetables are planted from seed, beds are maintained and watered, crops are harvested, then used weekly in our kitchen.
Volunteers gather fresh flowers from our plots that are used to create beautiful bouquets. Arrangements are displayed in vases painted by our younger volunteers, and arrive with weekly meal delivery.
Our volunteers are empowered to utilize their gifts and talents to bring joy, hope, transformation and the healing we all need.