Photos by Stephonia Taylor Mclinn
Urban Ministry presented the 8th Annual Collard Green Cook-off and Wellness Expo, a celebration of food, wellness, and community promoting the healthy living programs at Urban Ministry. More than 500 guests gathered throughout the day at Urban Ministry on Saturday.
Attendees toured the community gardens, watched cooking demonstrations, connected with traditional and non-traditional health practitioners, purchased from local vendors, and sampled healthy collard greens and cornbread.
Collard Green cook-off competitors who reside in West End’s five communities vied for bragging rights offering the best of their healthy, creative, culinary recipes with no pork included. “We see this fun-filled day as a way to engage in preventative awareness rather than just treatment,” said Urban Ministry Wellness Programs Director Ama Shambulia.
This annual fall staple also featured live music, spoken word, and activities for children among the hustle and bustle of Birmingham’s West End.
For years, the event has left an indelible impression on the fabric of this community.
“The Collard Green Cook-off and Wellness Expo has something for everyone. It’s a place for friends, family, community, and good eating,” said Urban Ministry Intern Antonio Robeiro-Howard.
Urban Ministry was founded in 1978, and with a mission to serve poor and low-income persons in the Birmingham area with programs of compassion and wholeness. Urban Ministry is an inner city ministry founded by the United Methodist Church in Birmingham.
