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Annual Gingerbread Project
Spices Up Hearts
On a cold winter night, the excited voices of nearly 30 children were heard down the hallway of Children’s National
Medical Center in Washington, DC. It was December 13, 2010, and seven Culinary Arts students were arriving from
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Washington, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta. Dressed
in their white uniforms, the aspiring chefs were bringing a host of goodies for the annual gingerbread project, a warmly
anticipated part of the hospital’s holiday party for patients and their families.
The students carried in boxes of gingerbread men, peppermint candy canes, sprinkles, yummy chocolate balls and
pounds of vanilla icing. Wide eyes and smiles greeted the culinarians. The children were eager to create their very own
gingerbread men and munch on some sweet treats, too.
Serving children from birth to age 23, the Children’s National Medical Center operates a full-service medical clinic
known as the Children’s Health Center @ THEARC in the Anacostia area of Washington, DC. Care includes preventive
health care, sick visits, immunizations, chronic illness management, and psychological, legal aid, referral management and
social support services. Children’s National Medical Center provides services to families in communities where affordable
health care is a challenge.
The gingerbread project was coordinated by Chef Alison Friedman of the Culinary Arts faculty. Because she had enjoyed similar events as
a culinary student herself, Chef Friedman devised a holiday activity that would benefit both the children and students. “Holidays are a time
to spread cheer, and I wanted to come up with an activity that everyone could enjoy,” Chef Friedman said. “I get a kick out of seeing the
children’s faces light up when decorating their gingerbread men and the excitement over showcasing their creations to their parents.”
Each child was given two gingerbread men, baked and prepared by the culinary club under the guidance of Chef Benita Wong, who has
supported the gingerbread project for many years. The children enjoyed taking bubblegum balls and creating eyes for their gingerbread
men. They added sprinkles on the hands and feet and gave some of their gingerbread men hair using lots of vanilla icing. They even
managed to enjoy a few pieces of candy while decorating!
This project has turned into an annual community service event for the Culinary Arts department, as well as a long-lasting
community partnership.