In 2020, our FCH program collaborated with a health worker from the Micronesian Island Community Organization to deliver the first Cooking Matters program to the local Micronesian and Pacific Islander community. The series of six classes taught cooking skills as participants prepared healthy and culturally appropriate recipes. This population experiences a high incidence of chronic diseases, so it was important to empower members of the community to gain knowledge and skills to promote a healthy diet while maintaining their traditional dishes and cultural traditions.

The conclusion of the program led to the formation of the Pacifika Cultural Workgroup. The group has undertaken several new projects. They are submitting traditional recipes to Food Hero for testing and adding to the recipe library, and recently had their first recipe published.

Coconut Chicken Salad is a healthy twist on a traditional recipe called Chicken Kelaguen. They have plans to produce an issue of Food Hero Monthly containing content of interest to an Islander audience, and a directory that lists the location of markets where Islanders can find their native foods. The workgroup is also collaborating with the Home Horticulture program on an effort to grow culturally appropriate vegetables in Oregon.