Vegetarian Action
Marcy Schveibinz Helps Others Achieve Wellness
by Amy Dell, VRG Intern
After reaching out to The Vegetarian Resource Group for volunteer opportunities, Marcy Schveibinz, a certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) in Columbia, MD, was given the chance to teach a vegan cooking class at Christopher Place Employment Academy. A division of The Catholic Charities of Baltimore, Christopher Place Employment Academy helps formerly homeless men with job training and provides a support system including addiction recovery, counseling, and life skills.
Marcy teaches her cooking class once a week for eight weeks to a group of 8 to 14 men. Her curriculum explores nutrition and healthy eating on a budget, and includes live recipe demonstrations. The class, created through funds from a vegan donor, is mandatory for all the men in the program.
"I like that I'm able to teach people about something that's so important to me," Marcy said.
She focuses on simple meals that taste good, especially familiar foods, like chili and stir-frys, which the men enjoy. Her meals are based around the idea that vegan food can be easy and satisfying.
While Marcy may have started working at Christopher Place to help people, she's found many reasons to continue her class.
"It's very rewarding. I wanted to know what other people's worlds were like and try to help them. We're all people and it's really easy to relate to [the men], and talk to them, and like them. Some of the guys are real characters, and each person stands out."
Marcy has developed meaningful relationships with her students, and she is able to see how the program and her class impact their lives.
"A few of them, during the class or after the class, said to me, 'You know, I'm going to try and see if I can make this dish.' and one person said, 'I might give this vegan thing a try,'" she said.
Always interested in nutrition, Marcy began gravitating towards vegetarian foods in college, but it wasn't until her daughter went vegan that she transitioned to veganism herself. Now, she's able to help others discover healthful diets.
"I hope that [the men] take away the idea that eating more plant-based foods is going to be better for them, better for their health in the long run, and that it's doable," she said.
In addition to her career as wellness coach and volunteering at Christopher Place, Marcy also used her skills in a presentation at TuTTie's Place Summer Camp in Baltimore. She worked with VRG interns to talk to kids about nutrition, vegetarianism, and mindful eating. For more information about Marcy's Wellness Coaching, visit Columbia Nutrition's website at www.columbianutrition.com or email [email protected].
Amy Dell interned with The Vegetarian Resource Group during the summer of 2018.
