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Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT PAM FANJOY

 

Who is Pam Fanjoy, MSW, RSW?

Pam Fanjoy is the founder and Executive Director of Fanjoy Cooking Up Change.  Pam Fanjoy is a clinical social worker and child, adolescent and family therapist and award-winning chef. She is also the owner of the Fanjoy Culinary & Wellness Centre, which recently moved to its new location in Guelph, Ontario. 

 

What topics is Pam Fanjoy available to speak about?

  • National thought leadership around the intersectionality of childhood food insecurity, mental health and future well-being

  • Culinary programs as a milieu therapy approach to care for youth with mental health concerns, strengthen family relationships and care for seniors to allow them to age at home with support for adult children who serve as caregivers.

  • Transforming the way that mental health services are delivered to transitional aged youth (15-29 years of age) 

  • Using the kitchen to tackle life’s problems and heal the body, mind and soul

  • Food insecurity, mental health and poverty

  • Food and the healing power of community

  • Mental health for entrepreneurs operating in the food and hospitality industry 

 

ABOUT FANJOY COOKING UP CHANGE

 

What is Fanjoy Cooking Up Change?

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change is a national not-for-profit established in 2021. Fanjoy Cooking Up Change will use food, interactive cooking classes, food education programs that build life skills and innovative counselling programs to improve the mental and physical health of individuals, youth and families across the lifespan. In addition, the organization will address the intersectionality of food insecurity, employment, mental health and need for stable housing with a focus currently on youth. 

 

Where is Fanjoy Cooking Up Change located?

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change has a mailing address and culinary studio facility in Hillsburgh, Ontario.  They also operate culinary programs in Guelph with strategic partnerships with other community organizations including Family & Children’s Services of Guelph Wellington and the Wellington Catholic District School Board 

 

When was Fanjoy Cooking Up Change established/founded?

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change was established in 2021. 

 

How is Fanjoy Cooking Up Change funded?

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change programs are funded by several corporate sponsors and partnering organizations. As a new not-for-profit, the organization welcomes donations and contributions to support its mandate. 

 

Is Fanjoy Cooking Up Change a registered charity? Can I get a tax receipt?

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change is not yet a registered charity and is not able to provide charitable tax receipts at this time. 

 

How can I donate to Fanjoy Cooking Up Change?

Please visit https://www.fanjoycookingupchange.com for more information on how to contribute. 

 

How can I get involved with Fanjoy Cooking Up Change?

We are currently looking for volunteers in various roles, donors who can make our programs this fall a reality for youth in need and corporate sponsors who would like to help build out our new culinary studio in Hillsburgh this summer.  

 

What is ‘The Foods of the World Market’?

Foods of the World Outdoor Market is a new not-for-profit program that will provide opportunities for women and non-binary folks to create and/or launch new food businesses or food products that reflect their cultural and culinary heritage at a Chef supported market in Hillsburgh, ON.  Also providing our community with culturally specific educational  business support seminars and access to a chef for one-on-one or small group product development guidance, marketing and interactive food demos. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.fanjoycookingupchange.com/foods-of-the-world-market

 

How do I volunteer for Fanjoy Cooking Up Change?

Please visit https://www.fanjoycentre.com/volunteer/ for more information on how to volunteer. 

 

ABOUT FANJOY CULINARY WELLNESS CENTRE

 

What is the Fanjoy Culinary + Wellness Centre?

The Fanjoy Culinary + Wellness Centre offers culinary classes, lifeskills training and counselling services to nourish body, mind and soul. 

 

What is ‘Junior Chef’?

Fanjoy’s Junior Chef programming provides youth, age 12-24 years of age, with innovative cooking classes and therapeutic programs that build confidence, increase social connection and teach healthy life skills for optimal mental health.

 

Junior Chef Culinary Fundamentals (Guelph), Level 1 & 2 Classes for Beginners

Our Saturday Fanjoy Culinary Fundamentals cooking class  focus on learning the  fundamentals of knife skills, using heat to create flavour, wet & dry cooking techniques, basic sauce making and how to use what is at hand in the kitchen to reduce food waste. Teens will build their confidence, make new friends and experience how food can bring us together for more connection

 

Junior Chef Culinary Fundamentals & Life Skills Programs

These therapeutic cooking programs are  designed for youth aged 13-22 years who are experiencing anxiety, depression, autism, learning exceptions, social problems, separation and divorce in the family, coming out on the LGBTQ2S+ spectrum or facing gender identity questions or struggling with weight/body image concerns.  Classes are run by a cook and mental health professional with a milieu approach to offering hands-on practical support ‘live time’ while we are also teaching cooking.  Going to talk therapy is not for everyone, and we know that when these teens come into our kitchen we can help them in practical ways that are less threatening, immediately useful and deliciously welcoming.  

 

Culinary Classes for College & University Students - “Not Just Ramen”

Join Chef Pam, (also a clinical social worker) to learn how to cook up delicious meals that go beyond ramen noodles AND find support as you get ready to move away from home for school this fall.  Offered Monday evenings in downtown Guelph, you will find support amongst friends, learn to shop well and cook on a budget,  and improve your health by cooking up meals that can be taken back to residence for the week ahead.  

 

What is ‘Rainbow Connections’?

Dedicated as a brave space for LGBTQ2S+ and non-binary youth, this cooking class teaches all of the fundamentals and culinary classics that are offered in our other programs while also creating a safe space for youth to find therapeutic support in their own coming out process.  Groups are offered both in Guelph and Hillsburgh.  We are looking for Corporate sponsors to fund youth who do not have their parents’ acceptance or financial  support to attend our programs.  

 

What types of programs does Fanjoy Culinary + Wellness Centre offer?

In addition to the Junior Chef Program, the Centre offers Culinary classes, educational and therapeutic parent groups, seniors culinary and family support programs & life skills training for youth with Autism or other special needs.

 

How do I apply for the Fanjoy Junior Chef Bursary?

It is our intention to ensure that all youth have access to our specialized cooking classes if they would benefit from our program. The Fanjoy bursaries are made possible with the generous contributions of private donors, Corporate Sponsorships, and grants received from funding organizations of Fanjoy Cooking Up Change, a NFP that supports the Fanjoy Junior Chef Programs being accessible for underprivileged youth whose families are currently challenged to pay the full fee for service. Please visit https://www.fanjoycentre.com/about/fanjoy-bursary/ for more information.

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Available funds vary each month and will depend on the value and number of direct donations received by Fanjoy from supporters. To apply, simply complete our online application and we will get back to you within two days to discuss your needs. 

 

How do I volunteer for Fanjoy Culinary + Wellness Centre?

Volunteering is easy at Fanjoy!  Simply fill out our volunteer application here: https://www.fanjoycentre.com/volunteer/

and one of our staff will be in touch with you by phone to talk further about how you can help.  We are always looking for folks with different skills, garden helpers, construction and landscapers and Junior Chef mentors.  

 

What is “Milieu Therapy”?

Milieu therapy is a very practical, live time and ‘real life’ method for treating mental health conditions using a person’s actual day to day surroundings to provide therapeutic interventions at the time that they actuall experience distress, emotional or social difficulties, so that you can simultaneously create healthier ways of thinking and behaving that actually ‘stick’. 

 

This occurs by immersing the client in a small, structured and supportive community focused on helping them develop skills and behaviors that’ll enable them to live healthier lives within a larger society.  The goal at Fanjoy is to make sure what is taught in the kitchen about cooking, communication, cooperation and collaboration (Fanjoy’s 4 C’s) will be easily transferable when folks leave our kitchen and go back out into the world at large.    

 

Is Pam Fanjoy available for private counselling?

Pam is currently accepting a limited number of private counselling clients herself and has a growing team of life coaches and Child and Youth Workers who are also available for various counselling roles, depending on your needs.  To learn more please book a Discovery Call here https://calendly.com/pamfanjoy/discovery-call or call our Guelph office at 519-824-3611.

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