Helen Keller National Center launches renovated kitchen with bagel making class

The Helen Keller National Center, a Port Washington-based nonprofit organization supporting deaf-blind individuals, revealed its newly renovated independent living kitchen with a special bagel making class last Wednesday.

Participants from across the country, who travel to HKNC for vocational rehabilitation, learned to roll, boil and bake bagels under the guidance of Sam “The Bagel Ambassador” Silverman, founder of Brooklyn-based startup BagelUp. The company offers bagel-themed immersive experiences, including tours, baking classes and an annual festival, BagelFest, set for Saturday, Sept. 28, at Citi Field.

“This is a very tactile class, it’s very hands-on,” Silverman said in a statement. “They’re doing a fantastic job feeling the dough, getting the texture right, getting the shaping right. I think they’re well-suited for it.”

The kitchen, with four accessible stations, will help participants develop essential cooking skills as part of the HKNC’s comprehensive vocational rehabilitation program.

For more information about the Helen Keller National Center, visit helenkeller.org.