UMaine Extension to offer food safety training for volunteer cooks in May and June
BANGOR and ELLSWORTH, Maine—University of Maine Cooperative Extension announces three opportunities to enroll in Cooking for Crowds, the 3-hour food safety training designed for volunteer cooks. The first two sessions will be held at the Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Avenue in Bangor from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6 and 1–4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12. The third session is scheduled for 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3 at the Hancock County Extension Office, 63 Boggy Brook Road in Ellsworth.
The workshop, taught by Extension Food System Professional Laurie Bowen, offers up-to-date information on how to handle, transport, store, and prepare foods safely for large group functions including soup kitchens, church suppers, food pantries, and community fundraisers. Participants receive Cooking for Crowds, a manual specifically designed for volunteer cooks; a certificate of attendance; posters; and an instant-read thermometer. The program meets the Good Shepherd Food Bank food safety training requirements.
The $15 fee per person includes all materials. Register and find more details on the Cooking for Crowds page. The registration deadline is one week before each session. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Laurie Bowen at 207.942.7396 or laurie.bowen@maine.edu.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
As a trusted resource for over 100 years, Extension has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and grow the food-based economy, focusing on aspects from production and processing to nutrition, food safety, and food security. Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H, which offers hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture, and civic engagement and creates a positive environment where participants are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.