Nourish & Gather | Westchester Children’s Museum

“At a morning event, I found myself in conversation with Jeremy Scalchunes, Executive Director of the Westchester Children’s Museum. I shared a story that reflects both how I teach and the work I do through Nourish and Gather: people are a lot like vinaigrette. Some of us are oil, and some of us are vinegar. On their own, we may not naturally blend, but add an emulsifier—like mustard—and suddenly those separate ingredients come together. For people, that emulsifier is conversation. When we take the time to talk, share stories, and become curious about one another, we often discover that we have far more in common than we realized.

Jeremy and I stayed connected after that morning, and a few weeks later, he reached out to introduce me to the Museum’s programming team and explore how Nourish and Gather could bring culinary education to the Westchester Children’s Museum. That one conversation has now grown into a programming partnership. It is a perfect example of what can happen through the Business Council: the connection did not begin with a formal pitch or sales presentation. It began with a story, a shared belief in the importance of human connection, and a conversation that continued beyond the room.”

— Melanie Underwood, Founder, Nourish & Gather