Veterans Connect Through Cooking with Wounded Warrior Project

ALPHARETTA, Ga., April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Publix recently hosted Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) veterans for a healthy cooking class. As warriors learned to substitute healthy ingredients in home-cooked meals without compromising flavor, they experienced the benefits of getting out of the house and connecting with fellow service members.

Instructors showed wounded warriors and guests how to lower calorie count, fat content, and sodium levels in their favorite dishes, encouraging them to overhaul their diets without feeling apprehensive. The hands-on lesson was part of WWP's Physical Health and Wellness program, which is designed to reduce stress and promote healthy and active lifestyles for warriors and family members.

"My family and I face a few health issues that can be controlled through better eating habits and lifestyle," said Anecia Ellis, whose husband is an Army and Navy veteran. "We figured we can make positive changes by understanding the healthier versions of what we put into our bodies. Meeting new people that share military backgrounds made it an even better experience – one of the many perks of Wounded Warrior Project events."    

These connection activities support the recovery needs of warriors by reintroducing them to the bonds experienced during military service. In a WWP survey of the injured warriors it serves, more than half of survey respondents (51.7 percent) talked with fellow veterans to address their mental health issues, and 29.6 percent expressed physical activity helps.

"These events have given us a well-needed opportunity to connect socially with others," Anecia said. "They help us escape the everyday obstacles we face in life after the military with an injured veteran."   

A WWP staff member interacted with attendees and advised them of additional services to support their recoveries. Thanks to generous donors, WWP programs and services are offered free of charge to warriors, their caregivers, and families, and they assist with mental health, physical health and wellness, career and benefits counseling, connecting warriors with one another and their communities, and long-term care for the most seriously wounded.

To learn and see more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit https://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. 

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project