Uptown, Chicago – After more than three decades of providing a safe haven for survivors of gender‑based violence, the nonprofit Apna Ghar is launching a cookbook that puts the voices of its residents front and center. Titled Recipes From Our Home, the 110‑page volume will be released on Monday and includes 29 recipes collected from survivors who have stayed at the shelter’s emergency housing program.
Cooking as Community Healing
Executive director Neha Gill, who has led the organization since 2003, says the project grew out of informal conversations in the shelter’s shared kitchen. “We’ve been collecting and sharing the recipes for so long, we just thought we should do a proper cookbook,” she explained.
The kitchen at Apna Ghar has long been a place where residents from more than 50 countries prepare meals for themselves and their families. Staff members speak over 20 languages, helping bridge cultural gaps and foster a sense of belonging among newcomers.
From Index Cards to Published Pages
Chef Tegest Enyew, who runs the shelter’s cooking program, spearheaded the effort to document the dishes. She gathered roughly 75 submissions, tested each one multiple times, and narrowed the selection to 29 recipes that are both flavorful and manageable for home cooks.
“I enjoyed this journey very much,” Enyew said, noting that she relied on YouTube and food blogs to translate ingredient names from survivors’ native languages. The final collection showcases a diverse array of meals, from Afghan bolani (stuffed flatbread) and Sudanese qima (meat and vegetable stew) to Singaporean laksa and Colombian sopa de verduras.
Artistic Touches and Local Partnerships
Each recipe is accompanied by colorful illustrations from Singapore‑based artist Urmi Roy Magoon. The cover artwork was created by India‑based Pearl D’Souza, while editor Lauren Grace Ewertse and designer Radhika Valjee, both residing in South Africa, helped shape the book’s layout.
Local chocolatier Uzma Sharif, founder of Pilsen’s Chocolat Uzma, contributed the forward and two dessert recipes. “As survivors, a percentage of us feel like we don’t have a sense of home or safety,” Sharif said. “This cookbook is a way to bring that sense of home to others.” Copies will be sold at Sharif’s shop and available as an ebook.
Proceeds Support Critical Services
All sales revenue will be directed straight to Apna Ghar’s programs, which include a 24‑hour crisis line, legal advocacy, counseling, job‑training, and both transitional and permanent housing for immigrants, refugees and other marginalized residents.
Gill emphasized that the funds will help sustain these life‑skill services and expand the shelter’s capacity. “Proceeds from the cookbook go directly into the hands of those who need it,” she said.
Challenges and Future Plans
The COVID‑19 pandemic and recent federal immigration enforcement actions, such as last year’s Operation Midway Blitz, have strained the organization’s resources. Despite these hurdles, staff are already planning a second cookbook to continue supporting the community.
Apna Ghar’s story illustrates how sharing food can nurture both the body and the spirit, reinforcing the shelter’s mission to empower survivors and build stronger families within Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
