How a South Jersey couple started cooking for families in shelters
CAMDEN, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Cooking was a family pastime for James Roberts. He picked up the skill set early in life and fell in love with food preparation.
He and his wife, Carleen Roberts, didn't have that in common.
The high school sweethearts who live in Cherry Hill with four children have typically relied on dad for all the home-cooked meals.
But that changed in the year 2020.
"Everything shut down, so I had to learn how to cook," said Carleen. "A lot of women were home, single moms home with kids. I wanted to teach them as well and teach them something and bring a positive out of a negative."
The couple created the Facebook page, "My Wife Can't Cook," which has grown to amass over 3,000 followers with its food-minded webshows.
As the shows grew more popular, the Roberts decided to bring their talents outside of their kitchen. They brought home-cooked meals to shelters like the Volunteers of America Anna M. Sample Complex in Camden. They felt it was important to give back to the town where they grew up.
And today, they came back with a taco bar to boot.
"It just shows that somebody cares," said resident Tiffany Marion. "Actually sitting down talking with them, I actually love and I wanted to try to see if they can teach me a little bit about cooking different meals."
In addition to bringing food, the couple provides one-on-one instruction along with goodie bags featuring a rotation of toiletries, coats, school supplies, and other items throughout the year.
"We team up with everybody who wants to team up with us," said James Roberts. "It's not about money or anything like that. It's just about giving back."
To learn more about 'My Wife Can't Cook,' follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube.
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