Nourishing families at Odyssey House

Children at Odyssey House got a special holiday treat this week – a Thanksgiving-themed Junior Chef class taught by Nourishing NYC. The children learned how to dress a turkey and prepared traditional side dishes like cornbread stuffing, sautéed green beans, and a spinach and cranberry salad. For dessert, they made sugar free pumpkin pudding. Check out more photos from the class on our Flickr page.

In addition to the class, Nourishing NYC donated 50 turkeys to Odyssey House so the families in our programs could have a proper Thanksgiving dinner. The cooking class and food donation are part of Nourishing NYC’s “Thanksgiving Back” campaign, which is distributing 1,000 turkeys to families in need throughout Harlem and the Bronx.

This marks the third time Odyssey House has partnered with Nourishing NYC to educate the families in our programs on nutrition and encourage healthy eating. Promoting a well-balanced diet and sound nutrition is a top priority at Odyssey House. Our residents have access to several healthy eating workshops that help them prepare nutritious meals for their families.

Marathon runners race for recovery

On Sunday, nearly 40 Odyssey House clients, graduates, staff members and volunteers participated in one of the country's most grueling athletic competitions - the New York City Marathon. Everyone on the Odyssey House team completed the marathon, finishing between 3:27 - 6:35 hours. Running for Odyssey House for the first time were Karen and Kevin Fittinghoff, who raised more than $4,000 for our running program. The Odyssey House team received extra encouragement at the Mile 19 aid station, where staff and supporters have gathered for the last several years to hand out water and cheer on our team.

Karen and Kevin Fittinghoff and their daughter joined the Odyssey House marathon team for a pasta lunch the day before the marathon. From left, recreational coordinator Andre Matthews, Dylan Tavolacci, chief operating officer John Tavolacci, and the Fittinghoff family.

Meet us at mile 19!

Join us at mile 19 to hand out water to the marathon runners and cheer on the Odyssey House Marathon Team! This year, we have 40 runners – including clients, graduates, staff and volunteers – who need your support. The water station is located between 115th-116th Streets & 1st Ave. You can catch the Odyssey House team running by between 1-4 pm.If you can't make it but would like to support the team, please click here to make a donation.