Turlock Unified School District, in partnership with local non-profit Kitchens for Change, is hosting its third annual Family Information Night in support of newcomer and refugee families.
The event will take place Thursday from 5:30 to7:30 p.m. at the Pitman High School cafeteria.
Both Turlock and Pitman high schools have Kitchens for Change clubs, which are designed to tackle food insecurity within the community.
Kitchens for Change will provide a meal consisting of chicken tikka, channa masala, basmati rice, green salad with tamarind dressing, and a dessert of jalebi – an Indian version of a churro – and cookies.
“Our goal at Kitchens for Change is to provide a meal that is welcoming and somewhat familiar to their region,” said Pitman High culinary arts instructor Mohini Singh, who is the founder of the non-profit. “Food has the power to welcome people in a special way. And it makes the students who help prepare the meal more understanding of another culture. Food is a way of connecting to another community.”
Two Turlock High seniors – Abdulrahim Abdulrahim and Hamasa Mashal – will speak at the event.
Both spoke at the inaugural Family Information Night three years ago, and both have scholarships to prestigious universities: Abdulrahim will attend UC Santa Barbara and Mashal will attend Duke University in North Carolina.
Also, students who immigrated from Afghanistan and now volunteer in the district’s Family Resource Center, will be honored at the event.
Abdulrahim, who is leaning toward studying mechanical engineering, has been part of THS’ leadership class and Associated Student Body. He also founded the MECHAS Club to help bring tother people who immigrated from the Middle East and Central Asia.
In an effort to help people suffering from conflicts in the Middle East, Abdulrahim was a part of a medical referencing project where he worked with doctors and engineers from all over the world. The project’s aim was to create a perfect medical guide in both Arabic and English to assist the locals and the medical teams with language barriers.
Mashal, who will embark on a course of pre-med studies at Duke, has been involved with Mock Trial, and was captain of the team this year. She has also volunteered in the hospital emergency room in Merced.
“Whenever you are doing anything, don’t let fear guide you,” says Mashal, who came to the U.S. in 2017 without knowing how to speak, read, or write English. “We live in a society where change is hard, but you have to find the courage to believe in yourself and find your own path. Sometimes, you have to gamble with your life to find the pieces missing to your puzzle.”
Other community partners who are contributing to this year’s event include Stanislaus State, El Concilio Stanislaus, Faith in the Valley, International Rescue Committee, Jessica’s House. MOVE, Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, Turlock Family Resource Center, Turlock Amazon MCE1, Turlock Public Library, Turlock Transit, TUSD Child Nutrition Education Center, and TUSD English Language Development Teachers.
