Park Place Outreach Youth Emergency Shelter, Inc. is the only facility in Savannah and Chatham County that serves youth age 11 to 17, who are going through a stressful period at home or who are victims of physical and/or mental abuse.

As part of its progressive program offering, PPO will partner with the famous Olde Pink House restaurant in Savannah to offer monthly cooking classes to kids, conducted by one of Pink House’s expert chefs.

On the second Saturday of each month, a chef from the Pink House will conduct a cooking class from 1-4 p.m. That evening, the class will enjoy the meal they have learned to prepare by dining at the Pink House. Classes began October 11 and the menu will change according to the season. The next scheduled class is Saturday, November 8.

The program was the brainchild of Pink House General Manager, Craig Jeffress, after meeting with two residents of PPO who worked in restaurants. Jeffress took a tour of the shelter and was impressed by what he had observed. He decided he wanted to do more for the organization than the traditional gift certificates for auction items. This fun, instructional program of hands-on involvement was the result.

The cost of participation is $125 per person, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit PPO. “We are pretty booked up through the end of the year already,” said Jack Levine, president of the Park Place board of directors. “However, we will continue holding the classes in January and next year.”