Spring 2022
Kitchen & Food Safety Tips
By Twandra Lomax-Brown
The kitchen is the “hub” of the house and kitchen safety is always important; food safety is equally important. These days, we are spending more time together in the kitchen whether it’s preparing daily meals or for special occasions. Here are some important things to remember when preparing dishes and spending time with friends and family in the kitchen:
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Wash and sanitize surfaces you will be using in the kitchen repeat through the duration of your time in the kitchen. If you leave the kitchen, re-wash your hands again.
Keep utensils separate as you prepare different foods and use only one utensil for each item, especially eggs and poultry, to avoid cross-contamination and illness.
Meats must be cooked thoroughly and using a food thermometer is the best way to ensure food is done. Food that is not cooked properly can cause illnesses.
Poultry is done at 165°F.
Ground meat and egg dishes are done at 160°F.
Fish, steaks, and roasts are done at 145°F.
Food storage safety tips:
Cold-stored items should be refrigerated between 34-37°F.
Refrigerated items should be discarded after 3 days, especially poultry. Any seafood stored in the refrigerator should be consumed within 24 to 48 hours.
Reheating safely is very important to food safety. Meats should be re-heated to 165°F prior to consumption.
Foods (hot or cold) out at room temperature for more than two hours should be discarded. This is key when using buffet-style serving for an event or special occasion to keep guests safe.
Gravies, broths and sauces should be used within two days of refrigeration and reheated to a full boil of 212°F.
Frozen foods should be stored at or below zero. Frozen vegetables should be used within 8 months of the storage date.
Bread can be stored in original packaging at room temperature to last 5-7 days.
For additional information on food safety please contact Twandra Lomax-Brown at the Richmond City Virginia Cooperative Extension Office at 804-786-4150 extension 2.
Financial Opportunity Success Story
Ms. T first enrolled in SCDHC’s Financial Opportunity Center on July 1st, 2021 and has since experienced professional and financial growth. With the help of SCDHC’s employment specialist, she increased her hourly income from $13.25 to $15.00/hr. Ms. T also increased her net income and continues to progress financially with the help of SCDHC’s financial coaching. She has taken advantage of SCDHC’s digital literacy classes and attended SCDHC’s Financial Opportunity Center orientation. Ms. T’s goal is to purchase a home, receive her master’s degree, and advance in her career. She has met 2 of the 3 requirements for SCDHC’s down payment assistance program, including achieving a credit score above 700 and building $1700 in savings. We are still coaching Ms. T on her employment and she should see a significant surplus in her income once she graduates.
SCDHC’s Financial Opportunity Center services are funded in part by grants from LISC Virginia, Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg, Truist Bank, and Wells Fargo. SCDHC is grateful to these funders for their commitment to advancing racial and health equity in the Richmond region.
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Jim’s Handy Home Hints
Shrubbery, Trees and Moisture
That lovely landscaping you’ve cultivated all these years around your home is a moisture factory. All living plants not only contain moisture, but they also transmit it to surfaces they come in contact with. If they are close to your exterior house walls, they not only block sunlight and air circulation but transfer water vapor too. This combination leads to fungal growth, mildew, mold and moss. These can leave a green or brown stain on your home’s exterior. You should trim your plants and shrubs back to at least 1-foot of clear space between the plants and your exterior walls, to allow sunlight and air to enter and dry out the moisture that accumulates there. Also, rake up leaves, limbs or any other plant material which may have accumulated next to your home’s foundation walls.
Housing Counseling Update
Are you looking to purchase a home in Henrico County? SCDHC is offering up to $10,000 down payment assistance for first time homebuyers looking to purchase in Henrico County. If you are interested in applying, please register to attend our April down payment assistance informational workshop on our website at www.scdhc.com/workshops. The next homebuyer education workshop is scheduled virtually on April 21st @6pm.
SCDHC’s Virtual Homebuyer Workshops are funded in part by grants from Wells Fargo, Truist Foundation, and Fulton Forward Initiative. SCDHC is very appreciative for the support from Wells Fargo, Truist Bank, and Fulton Bank.
United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Offers Free Tax Preparation for Families and Individuals with Income of $58,000 or Less.
Your taxes will be prepared by IRS- certified volunteers and each return is screened by a Quality Reviewer to ensure accuracy. There are many tax sites located across the Greater Richmond & Petersburg region, with a variety of operating hours to ensure everybody has the opportunity to receive help. Find a location at https://www.yourunitedway.org/tax/ vita/#bs_tab65548476693 and prepare for your appointment by reviewing the list of required materials under “What to Bring”. Some sites offer a drop-off service, allowing customers to meet with an IRS-certified tax preparer while sharing relevant identification information and tax documents. A team of trained tax preparers will complete the returns and customers will schedule a follow-up appointment at the tax site to review, approve and file the tax return. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the tax sites will operate by appointment only and spaces may be limited. Sites will follow social distancing guidelines and will require masks.
Learn more https://www.yourunitedway.org/tax/ vita/#bs_first_tab93.