Linden Avenue eighth grade Spanish students are receiving a lesson in service, culture and cooking. They also plan to raise money for a Yucatan peninsula community in need, with a little help from the community.

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, Liz Lowney’s students are holding a fundraiser at the middle school called Cooking for Change. The students from 5:30-7:30 p.m. will prepare and serve authentic Mexican cuisine. 

The event is free and open to the public, though donations are encouraged. The money will support Comedor Zarigueyas, a community kitchen in Merida, Mexico, that feeds children and women. Lowney worked with the organization this past summer.

“We wanted to raise money for this community which needs it,” the teacher said. “But, behind that, I wanted the kids to learn what it feels like to do something for someone else, just because.”

Lowney described the south of Merida as “an area that has very scarce resources.” Zarigueyas was founded in 2020 by a group of mothers, she said, “that wanted to make sure their kids were able to eat every day.” The organization has grown to the point where it is able to feed 65 kids and 30 moms on just $35 American, per day.

“It’s really amazing,” she said. “I was inspired by that.”

Roughly 40 students are contributing to the effort, in addition to a couple of district parents of Mexican descent who will show the students how to cook the food. The students will be discussing the recipes and breaking up roles for the event on Friday and Monday. They plan to use the home and careers classroom to prepare the food before bringing it down to the cafeteria.

“That kitchen is made for kids to use it. There’s duplicates of everything, so we can work in groups more easily,” Lowney said.

The menu includes chicken tacos, quesadillas, rice and beans, chips and salsa, flan, gelatin de mosaic, horchata and jamaica. More than 100 are already signed up to attend, and Lowney said they are prepared for many more who may decide to visit the school Wednesday.

Local organizations and families donated the ingredients.

“I’m blown away by the generosity in our community to make something like this possible,” Lowney said.

The night is the culmination of an instructional unit focused on Mexican and Yucatan traditions and culture, and there will be an educational installation on Dia de Muertos – which is Saturday and Sunday – for guests to learn more before or after they eat.

On Thursday, Lowney’s eighth grade class shared a Zoom call with Nini Gongora, who works in support of Zarigueyas, to learn more about the organization and better understand how the donations will benefit members of its community. Gongora also took questions on the traditions followed in the Yucatan Peninsula and Dia de Muertos.

“I was amazed by them,” Lowney said of her students. “They were locked in on her. They seemed really excited to talk with her and get information on how we would be supporting them. It’s a great group of kids, this eighth grade we have.”

Later next week, Lowney said the class will discuss how Cooking for Change worked, what they learned from it and how they can continue making an impact.

“It’s important, because it’s real life,” she said. “It’s authentic interaction with the culture.”

Organizations that donated include:

Little Pickles

Lucoli Pizza

Stewarts Shops

Adams Fairacre Farms

Red Hook Stationary Co.

Hudson Valley Egg Co.

Hudson Valley Fresh Dairy

Dutchess Beer Distributors

Martha Tepepa

Sonia Castellanos

Parents & Families

Sabroso

Bubby’s Burritos

CJ’s Pizza

RH PTSA

CultureConnect