This fall, Cumberland County Public Library is launching Cumberland Cooks.

Cumberland Cooks is designed to promote culinary literacy and wellness with a series of hands-on cooking demonstrations and tastings. The next Cumberland Cooks program, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the Headquarters Library, will feature a demonstration and tasting of different dips. The event is free and open to the public.

Cumberland Cooks programs are powered by the library’s new Charlie Cart mobile kitchens, made possible through a $40,500 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Each Charlie Cart is a fully equipped mobile kitchen featuring a convection oven, induction cooktop, sink and storage for over 100 kitchen tools. The carts allow the library to offer engaging, outcomes-based cooking classes across multiple locations, with a focus on healthy food preparation, food safety, budget-friendly meals and cultural cuisine.

The “Culinary Literacy and Wellness at the Library” initiative aims to address food literacy and insecurity in Cumberland County, particularly in underserved communities and food deserts. The program also provides teens and young adults with essential cooking skills for lifelong wellness.