TEEN KITCHEN PROJECT

TKP'S MAIN PROGRAM IS THE MEDICALLY-TAILORED MEALS PROGRAM. IN THIS PROGRAM, VOLUNTEER AND EMPLOYED TEENS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14-18 JOIN PROFESSIONAL CHEFS IN A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN TO PREPARE NUTRITIOUS, MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS THAT ARE DELIVERED TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IMPACTED BY ILLNESS.CLIENTS SERVED: IN FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2023-2024, TKP DELIVERED 136,290 MEALS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IMPACTED BY LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS. IN TOTAL, 1,066 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED MEDICALLY TAILORED FOOD DELIVERIES INCLUDING MEALS, GROCERIES, AND PRODUCE BOXES, MARKING A 48% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.THE MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS PROGRAM MEETS THE NEEDS OF CRITICALLY AND CHRONICALLY ILL PEOPLE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY WHO ARE LOW-INCOME, LACK A SUPPORT NETWORK OF FAMILY OR FRIENDS, AND/OR DO NOT QUALIFY FOR OTHER FREE MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES. AMONG TKP CLIENTS SERVED, 100% HAD A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS (E.G., DIABETES, CANCER, HEART DISEASE, RECENT SURGERY), 86% WERE LOW-INCOME (EARNING LESS THAN 200% BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL), 60% WERE SENIORS AGED 60 AND ABOVE, 40% WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND 18% WERE SPANISH SPEAKERS.DURING FY 2023-2024, POST-SERVICE SURVEYS SHOWED 75% OF CLIENTS SERVED LEARNED MORE ABOUT HEALTHY COOKING AND EATING AND 88% SAW IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR HEALTH CONDITION AS A RESULT OF EATING HEALTHIER FOODS. THE IMPACT OF THE MEAL DELIVERY PROGRAM IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE FOLLOWING QUOTE FROM ONE OF TKP'S CLIENTS: "THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR FOOD THAT IS NOT ONLY DELICIOUS, BUT THAT NOURISHES MY SOUL. I THINK IT'S CALLED LOVE! THE CARE AND LOVE THAT IS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN BE TASTED IN THE FOOD."TEEN ENGAGEMENT: THE MEAL DELIVERY PROGRAM ALSO BENEFITS LOCAL TEENS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. DURING FY 2023-2024, TKP ENGAGED 100 TEEN EMPLOYEES/VOLUNTEERS IN PREPARING AND PACKAGING MEALS, A 20% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. ALL TEENS WENT THROUGH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS, ATTENDED A KITCHEN ORIENTATION, AND PARTICIPATED IN KNIFE SKILLS AND FOOD SAFETY TRAINING. TEEN CHEFS EACH SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 140 HOURS DURING THE 20 WEEK COHORT LEARNING HOW TO PREPARE HEALTHY FOOD. POST-PARTICIPATION SURVEYS CONSISTENTLY SHOWED THAT TEEN CHEFS REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN THEIR COOKING SKILLS AND COOKING MORE HEALTHY MEALS FROM SCRATCH AT HOME. THEY ALSO REPORT EATING HEALTHIER IN GENERAL.SINCE JANUARY 2022, TKP CONTRACTED WITH A LOCAL MEDI-CAL MANAGED CARE PLAN TO PROVIDE THEIR MEMBERS WITH A MEDICALLY TAILORED MEAL BENEFIT. IN FY 2024, TKP CONTINUED TO INVEST IN ADDITIONAL STAFFING, TECHNOLOGY, AND KITCHEN EQUIPMENT TO INCREASE MEAL CAPACITY. THE CONTRACT WITH THE MEDI-CAL HEALTH PLAN, AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, ENABLED TKP TO INCREASE ITS EARNED INCOME THROUGH CONTRACTS IN FY 24. CONTINUED WORK ON STRATEGIC PLAN: OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, TKP WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THREE STRATEGIC GOALS: 1) EXPANDING FACILITIES TO INCREASE MEAL CAPACITY AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE GROWTH; 2) INCREASING AWARENESS, INVOLVEMENT, AND SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION BY TARGET AUDIENCES; AND 3) ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A QUALIFIED, MISSION-DRIVEN WORKFORCE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS CAPABLE OF STRENGTHENING SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES.TEEN KITCHEN PROJECT IS A MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA FOOD IS MEDICINE COALITION (CALFIMC). TEEN KITCHEN PROJECT PROVIDES EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE TO CALFIMC ON THE MEDICALLY TAILORED NUTRITION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING MEALS, GROCERIES, PRODUCE BOXES, AND NUTRITION COUNSELING AND EDUCATION.