The Queens of Cuisine: Hope House’s Culinary Duo

Sonya and Barbara

At CaringWorks’ Hope House—a residential treatment facility for men recovering from homelessness and addiction—healing can happen in many forms, in many ways, and in many places. For Barbara Jackson, Hope House’s food coordinator, and Sonya King, Barbara’s assistant, they use the kitchen to promote healing.

The two women are known affectionately as “The Queens of Cuisine,” and each day they pour care and compassion into every meal they prepare for as many as 70 residents who call Hope House home for their recovery journey. Between the two of them, they’ve earned six consecutive perfect scores on Fulton County’s food safety inspections—a remarkable accomplishment for any food service operation, especially one run by such a small team.

“It means a whole lot,” Barbara said. “I take pride in what I do and how I do it when it comes to handling food and serving the men here.”

For Barbara and Sonya, this work is much more than a job. Each meal is an opportunity to give residents a sense of normalcy, dignity, and love—things many have gone without for years.

“When someone says they haven’t had a home-cooked meal in a long time, or that a certain meal reminds them of growing up, that really means a lot,” Barbara said.

Sonya agrees.

“It’s nourishment for the soul. Someone cared enough to prepare it,” Sonya said. “When people come and thank you, when they’re emotional because it reminded them of home—that’s powerful.”

Their partnership in the kitchen runs on teamwork and a lot of heart.

“I call it sowing a seed into these men’s lives,” Sonya said.

Beyond the menu, Barbara and Sonya enjoy connecting with the residents.  When Sonya works on the weekends, for example, she connects with residents by playing music.

“Music soothes the soul,” she said. “For a moment in time, they can enjoy good food, good music, and feel good about themselves. It’s about building mind, body, and spirit—we’re just doing our part.”

Their motivation, Barbara says, is simple but profound: service.

“In a world where everybody wants something, sometimes you have to give of yourself,” she said. “It’s better to give than to receive—and that’s what we try to live by.”

At Hope House, healing doesn’t just happen in counseling sessions or support groups. It happens one plate at a time, served with care by two women whose work feeds more than just the body. It feeds hope.

October 2025