The Free Library is committed to having new Americans view the Library as the gateway to learning and information. Edible Alphabet seeks to engage Philadelphia’s non-native English speakers in this capacity and by offering English language instruction, to enable them to reach a level of literacy that allows them to fully participate in the social, economic, and cultural life of the region.

Edible Alphabet offers both a six-week ESL cooking series in our Culinary Literacy Center (CLC) and a sixteen-week traditional ESL course based in our Neighborhood Libraries and taught through the context of library skills and cooking. Our classes are led by both a certified ESL instructor and a chef. The program offers the Library the opportunity to connect with Philadelphia’s growing immigrant and refugee populations to teach English and to encourage ownership in the Library. Edible Alphabet includes an ESL curriculum developed internally. We plan to expand the program to neighborhood libraries with highest population of non-native English speakers.

Edible Alphabet began as a cooking series for refugees, hosting more than 100 students from over two dozen countries. Based on this program’s success, we have a five year expansion plan which includes both the cooking series at the Culinary Literacy Center as well as expanding to neighborhood libraries. By Year Five it will be at 12 neighborhood libraries and will be taught by volunteers. We hope to reach 1,250 students by the end of Year Five, and an exponentially larger number as our students and their families become fully engaged members of the Free Library.