WESTLOCK – The Help at Home program offered by Westlock and District FCSS is growing in popularity among residents in both the Town of Westlock and Westlock County.
“We were doing two programs a month; one in the county and one in the town of Westlock,” said Maureen Schiller, FCSS program coordinator. “We have 10 people come to the event and they go home with ready-for-oven meals.”
Launched in August 2023, the program has seen strong attendance across rural and urban areas alike, including sessions in Busby, Picardville, Clyde, Jarvie, and Fawcett. The workshops focus on preparing freezer-friendly or crockpot-ready entrées such as cranberry chicken, pulled pork, and cabbage dishes.
Among the most recent offerings was a Help at Home session tailored specifically for men. Participants made meat buns from scratch, working with dough and meat filling—an experience Schiller said many of the attendees had never tried before.
To expand the program’s scope, FCSS also hosted a fruit arrangement workshop. A local student from NAIT’s culinary program, needing practicum hours, led the session to the delight of participants. Additional workshops have featured gluten-free and dairy-free meal options.
Recognizing that most attendees were women, FCSS aimed to create a more inclusive environment by launching the Men’s Help at Home class. Ten men took part in the first session, which Schiller described as a success.
Participants can attend one session per season, with each seasonal offering repeated in various locations throughout the area.
The demand for food preparation support grew from FCSS’s existing light housekeeping services for seniors. In response, FCSS applied for and received funding through Healthy Aging Alberta. Although the original grant recently ended, the organization has secured two more years of funding to keep the program running.
Looking ahead, FCSS plans to host once-a-month Lunch and Learn sessions at its Westlock office, with space for up to 20 participants. These sessions will include educational components such as nutrition talks and presentations from local organizations like Prairie Sunset Funeral Home.
Kylie Ford serves as the main facilitator and prep coordinator for the Help at Home events.
For more information or to register for upcoming workshops, contact Westlock and District FCSS.
