From Sauce Pans to Favorite Recipes: The Overlooked Side of Reentry

Join us for our next Still Water meeting whre we talk about everything kitchen.

Reentry is more than just housing and jobs, it’s also everyday household tasks.

When we talk about successful reentry for women coming home from incarceration, we often focus on the big picture—safe housing, stable employment, access to healthcare, and reconnecting with family. But what often goes unspoken are the daily life skills that many of us take for granted, like understanding how to budget for groceries, or even knowing how to use different kitchen appliances. These may seem small, but they are essential building blocks for stability, independence, and confidence.

Many formerly incarcerated women have spent years—or even decades—away from home. Some went into prison at a young age, before ever having a chance to manage a household. Others may have grown up in unstable or abusive environments where these skills were never modeled. Prison itself doesn't offer much opportunity to practice everyday life management. Tasks are often scheduled and completed by institutional staff, and personal autonomy is heavily restricted. When someone comes home, even things like setting up a bank account, sorting mail, or choosing the right cleaning products can feel overwhelming.

Take something as simple as laundry. If you’ve never had to sort whites from colors, choose the right water temperature, or understand dryer settings, it’s not instinctive. Many of us didn’t learn these things until prison. Or think about making a grocery list—how do you plan a week’s worth of meals when you’ve never shopped for yourself? How do you know what items are necessary for a kitchen? These aren’t just chores—they’re life skills and rebuilding them is part of reclaiming independence.

One area we’re excited to dive deeper into is cooking—not just following recipes but truly learning the basics. That starts with understanding your tools. What’s the difference between a sauté pan and a saucepan? What’s a Dutch oven, and when do you use a cast iron skillet? How do you safely use knives, measure ingredients, or store food? To some, these might sound like small things, but they’re powerful tools for healing, creativity, and self-sufficiency. Some of us were never taught these things. I know I wasn’t. I learned through Googling what I was clueless about.

You're invited.

We're taking reentry & self-sufficiency to the next level. This is the Overlooked Side of Reentry.

That’s why our next Still Water meeting will focus on “Back to Basics: Understanding Your Kitchen.” We'll cover the names and purposes of common kitchen items, how to set up a starter kitchen, and even share favorite easy recipes.

We welcome you to attend our upcoming meeting. Whether you're a beginner in the kitchen or looking to enhance your skills, you're invited to join us. For more details, contact us through our website or social media channels.