In today’s Q&A we learn more about Molly Owens and her project, Power Up with Plants, that aims to serve the veterans in our community.
Previously, we discussed Molly’s passions and personal interests. To learn more about Molly, click here.
Q: Tell me about yourself, where are you from, what do you do?
Molly: I’m from New Jersey originally, and. I lived there my entire life. I decided to leave New Jersey because I wanted to get out and explore, so I went to Virginia Tech for my undergrad. I studied dietetics, so I stuck with the nutrition field throughout my undergraduate studies.
Q: What drew you to Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program?
Molly: My professor, and now Academic/PSFP Mentor, Judy Dodd, actually told me about the program. She thought that this would be a really good fit for me. After I looked further into it, I sat down with her and talked about if it would be realistic for me and my passions. I wanted to make a cooking program. It’s something that I’m passionate about, and something I think people could really enjoy, learn a lot from, and be beneficial to participants. I’ve always been passionate about helping others, and PSFP seemed like a program that could combine all of those things into one. So here I am!
Q: Tell us about your project.
Molly: I will be running cooking classes for veterans and their families. The class aspect of my project will be educational. Plant based diets are about health for a lot of people because it lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease. I don’t think people really think about health all the time; they just go for convenience. So, a little bit will be educational, but the majority will be a hands on cooking class. I will be instructing and showing participants how to meal prep everything, but the participants will also be able to cook with me. It’s nice that they’ll be able to see the meal, make the meal, and enjoy the meal together – especially in a space where they can mess up and it’ll be okay.
Q: Power Up with Plants specifically serves veterans and their families. What sparked your interest in working with veterans?
Molly: I started working with veterans last semester, and I think that really sparked my interest. I don’t have any vets in my family, but I definitely have a soft spot. I know that veterans give so much and a lot of times they don’t get the same in return. I want to bring programs that are out there for vets into the light a little bit more.
Q: What are you hoping to achieve with Power Up with Plants?
Molly: My main goal is to have families actually want to sit down and have dinner together. Growing up, my family ate a lot of meals together. I think that’s why my family is so close, so I want to share that with other families. I also know that a lot of people are intimidated by plant-based meals, even my dad was worried it wasn’t going to go over so well! So, I want to show people that it’s not as scary as it seems and hopefully encourage them to eat at least one plant-based meal a day.
Q: How can our donors support you as you begin your project?
Molly: By helping us get food for the classes! Gift cards to Aldi, Shop n Save, Giant Eagle or any grocery store would be really helpful. The University of Pittsburgh has been very generous, and I will be doing the cooking class in the University of Pittsburgh’s kitchen, so any cookware will be provided.
-End Interview-
To support Molly as she starts her Pittsburgh Schweitzer journey click here.
To learn more about how your donation can help our Fellows and their projects, check out the current Fellows’ wishlist!
