Diane Ronayne: Graduate of Life’s Kitchen lauds program for kids

Idaho Statesman
Edition Date: 08/20/07

An invitation to lunch at Life’s Kitchen from Chef Rouchelle Abrahamson took me to the cute café at 1025 S. Capitol Blvd. to get an update on this nonprofit, which teaches young adults skills for work and life.Sipping gazpacho, I conversed with Congressman Mike Simpson and Roger Jones, 23, who graduated from the Kitchen’s first class in May 2004. Like others who’ve found their way there, Roger had had a run-in with meth.

“When I was arrested, I was dying,” he said. “I’m 6-foot-3 and I weighed just 147 pounds; now I weigh 240. But I had a burning desire to be someone, and once I became part of the Life’s Kitchen program, I felt accepted in society. The biggest payoff is knowing that now I’m an asset to society, not a liability.” “What can we do as a society to get to kids before they hit rock bottom?” the congressman asked.

“The justice system isn’t doing a half-bad job,” Roger said. “It came to a head for me when I was arrested for possession. But it also takes a willingness by the individual … somehow, you’ve got to figure out how to get into someone’s mind and tell them they could make a change. And you need to reach out to parents — sometimes they’re the ones who give kids drugs.”

“Someone like you talking to high school students would make more impact than me, parents or teachers,” Simpson said.

“Oh, yeah?” Roger laughed. “Is there a way to make money doing that?”

Life’s Kitchen serves lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and offers frozen take-home meals, and catering for large and small events. Information: www.lifeskitchen.org.