KSU success coach writes cookbook to benefit families with autistic children
Kentucky State University (KSU) success coach Sophia Lynn Rucker has not only written a cookbook to help families create quick meals but also to help children with autism.
The Lawrenceburg native decided to write her third book, “Sophia to Ophelia: Meals in Flight but Keeping it Lite,” after being inspired by her niece, Ophelia, who is autistic. Seeing her niece and other autistic children struggle at meal times, she decided to come up with recipes that can help with the process.
Rucker explained that autistic children may eat something one time and refuse to eat
it the next day. They
also may not want to eat at a prescribed meal time but will want to eat only a short
time later. So Sophia started bundling recipes that can be quickly made in 30-40
minutes. “With a child with autism, a lot of them don’t speak, so you want to have
something fixed,” she said.
The recipes included in the book comprise of a variety of foods, many of which her niece likes. From chicken recipes to fruit salad, Rucker has selected recipes for anyone who needs to make a meal fast.
Rucker plans to donate $2.50 of every book sold to families with autistic children in need. Working with the Kentucky Autism Training Center in Louisville, the donations will go to help fund these families for transport going back and forth to autism support centers in Lexington and Louisville as well as meals and more.
Rucker said that she is wanting to help these families as she has found that there are very few autism support options for families in the local area. “I have been blessed and I enjoy giving back,” she said.
She will have a book signing from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 22 at Tastefully Kentucky on Main Street where her new book can be purchased. The book, along with her previous two, are also available on her website.