Stirring Up Memories With the Women at Healing House

On a Tuesday morning in September, the cozy kitchen at Healing Housing is all abuzz. Michelle Phillips, a regular volunteer, is setting up crockpots and bowls. Other volunteers arrive with food donations and extra kitchen equipment. The residents come in and out chatting about their morning. One runs back to her house just down the path to get her Tupperware, another talks about her doctor appointments, and then they all wash their hands and find a spot around the island to start cooking.

Healing Housing is a nonprofit residential recovery program serving women healing from addiction throughout Middle Tennessee. I came to learn more about these women on “Crockpot Tuesday,” wherein the newest residents and several volunteers prepare crockpots full of nutritious meals, plus sides and salads. Today, they are making slow cooker sausage and vegetable lasagna filled with fresh vegetables from the Franklin United Methodist Church Giving Garden across the street.

Executive director Tracey Levine explains. “We get incredible food donations from local farms and churches. In the past, we put those donations in the kitchen for the residents to take and use. But we found that sometimes the women didn’t know how to cook or use certain items, or they would be unsure of how much to take.” With Tuesdays full of classes and clinics for the women,Tracey had the idea of putting crockpot meals together in the mornings so they have a nutritious meal to come home to at night.

“Food is a powerful bridge to childhood and a form of nurturing both yourself and those around you,” says Tracey. This is evident as the women prepare the food, asking “How can I help?” and saying “You wash, I’ll cut,” all while recalling favorite childhood meals or moments cooking with a parent or grandparent.

A Healing House resident says, “I used to cook with my grandmother as a kid. My favorite thing to make with her was banana pudding. Later, when I was using, I betrayed her. I stole from her and pushed her away. Now [that I’m in recovery], we haven’t yet fixed our broken relationship, but I’m slowly making my way back to her through food. I’ll call her to ask for a recipe or start making her banana pudding and, even though I know what to do, I’ll call her for help.”