Xilan Ding is third-year student in the Human Nutritional Sciences program at the University of Manitoba. On the suggestion of her husband, who at the time was attending English classes at the Immigrant Centre, Xilan applied for a volunteer position as a Cooking and Nutrition Class Assistant.

In June, Xilan started her first block of classes, volunteering once a week in the Cooking Matters program; her contribution has been invaluable.

According to her supervisor Val Gonzalez, Manager of Nutrition Services, “Xilan is an extremely organized and dedicated volunteer, and has exceptional time-management skills. She truly made my role as leader easier, as I knew I could depend on her to help keep things on track.”

Xilan has signed up to volunteer again in the Cooking Matters program, this time in a leadership role. “It is very interesting here” she says, “I’ve gained a lot of skills, learned to manage time cooking and made new friends.”

In addition to the Cooking Matters program at the Immigrant Centre, Xilan volunteers in a research group at St Boniface Hospital,
and also does food prep for the Healthy Start for Mom & Me program.