The Wasatch Caring Community Coalition (CCC) is giving out a free dinner tonight at their Family Dinner Drive-Thru event. The annual occurrence is modified this year because of COVID. Participants will drive to the booths, instead of walking, and will pick up dinner supplies to create a spaghetti dinner. The event will run from 5:30-7:00pm, Monday, September 21, at the Wasatch County Event Center. The free family dinner activity is an opportunity for the CCC to not only provide a free dinner, but also to educate the community about available resources in Wasatch County.
The Caring Community Coalition sponsors this event each year during Family Mealtime Month. The coalition uses it to encourage family dinners and family togetherness. According to Trudy Brereton, who promotes health through the Wasatch County Health Department, “teenagers who eat dinner frequently with their family are less likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana.” The Stanford Children’s Health website explains that teens who eat dinner with their families also generally get better grades in school. There are similar findings with mental health. Those seeking outside help for depression, anxiety, and other emotional issues are half as likely to have family meals on a regular basis. These teens also usually eat healthier foods overall, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
The Wasatch Caring Community Coalition consists of leaders and representatives from the County. These include the County Health Department, the Heber City Police Department, Wasatch School District, the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Department, Intermountain Healthcare, and others. The CCC’s goals include promoting mental and physical health, decreasing substance abuse in Wasatch County, encouraging family togetherness, and strengthening community bonds.
The Caring Community Coalition meets each month to discuss achieving these goals. Anyone interested in participating can find more information on the Wasatch CCC website: https://utahprevention.org/coalitions/wasatch-county-caring-community-coalition/.
