American Women's Association of Rome: Charity, Connection & Cooking during Pandemic

Although the American Women's Association of Rome (AWAR) was unable to meet in person this past year, members virtually connected and worked on a fun project that will raise money for Italy's frontline health workers.

"During the lockdown last spring, we needed an initiative to keep the 150-odd members of the American Women's Association of Rome involved and in touch. We'd even had to postpone celebrating the 65th anniversary of AWAR's founding too. Since we hadn't published a cookbook in 50+ years, that was a no-brainer. But there was more to it. Every day, we read stories and saw news reports about the courage and dedication of the brave doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers in Italy. Our hearts went out to them. We wanted to show our solidarity," said Maureen Fant, an award-winning cookbook author who headed the team of eight who wrote, designed, and produced the book.

The team produced the cookbook almost all online with WhatsApp and Zoom or in the team members' own kitchens. The resulting volume truly represents the wonderful spirit of collaboration that flourished during this particularly challenging time. More than 40 members contributed recipes, memories, and art.

To buy the cookbook, visit: https://awar.org/cookbook

AWAR will contribute a portion of all donations to Italy's Protezione Civile, to aid those health professionals who have been on the front lines during the pandemic.