NEW YORK COALITION FOR HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCHES INC

SCHOOL PROGRAM EXPENSES FOOD SERVICEIN 2024, WE CONTINUED OUR FORMAL PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW YORK CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES (OFNS). WE PARTICIPATED IN QUARTERLY MEETINGS AND CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THEM TO PROMOTE PLANT-BASED ENTREES. WE PROVIDED CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ABOUT 350 OF THEIR MANAGEMENT TEAM, WITH KATHY POLLARD, MS, PRESENTING ON OUR BEHALF IN SEPTEMBER. WE ALSO BEGAN AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO ABOUT 15,000 SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE DIRECTORS NATIONWIDE, IN 46 STATES. THIS INCLUDED AN EMAIL NEWSLETTER AND MONTHLY WEBINARS. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSCOOL SCHOOL FOOD IN THE CLASSROOMCOOL SCHOOL FOOD IN THE CLASSROOM IS A CURRICULUM THAT WE DEVELOPED TO INTRODUCE AND PROMOTE SPECIFIC PLANT-BASED RECIPES BEING SERVED ON THE NYC SCHOOLS LUNCH MENU. THE LESSONS ARE ALWAYS TAUGHT IN THE MORNING AND THEY ARE IMPACTFUL BECAUSE THEY ARE TAUGHT ON THE DAYS THAT THE DISH IS BEING SERVED AT LUNCH. IN 2024, WE DELIVERED LESSONS FROM THIS CURRICULUM AT PS 244 IN QUEENS TO THREE CLASSES OF THIRD GRADERS. THE RECIPE WE FEATURED WAS CHICKPEA SHAWARMA, A DISH INSPIRED BY THE CULTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST. WE DID A SLIDE-SHOW PRESENTATION FEATURING IMAGES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST INCLUDING ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE, TRANSPORTATION, FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, FOOD, ANIMALS, AND MORE. THEN THE STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS IN THE RECIPE WITH A HANDS-ON SENSORY EXPERIENCE OF SEEING, TOUCHING, AND SMELLING THE INGREDIENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY SMELL THE SPICES, PUT THEIR HANDS IN A GIANT BOWL OF DRY CHICKPEAS AND PLAY WITH THE BEANS (WHICH THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE DOING), AND PASS AROUND THE VEGETABLES. OUR TEACHERS, THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS, AND OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE A "CHEAT SHEET" OF QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT EACH INGREDIENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH VEGETABLE IS THE PEPPER OR WHAT FOOD GROUP THE CHICKPEAS BELONG TO (LEGUMES). THE STUDENTS THEN HAD A SAMPLE OF THE DISH THAT THE CAFETERIA PREPARED EXTRA OF, AND WE ASK HOW MANY LIKED IT, HOW MANY THOUGHT IT WAS JUST OKAY, AND HOW MANY DID NOT CARE FOR IT. WE ALSO REMIND STUDENTS THAT SOMETIMES IT TAKES MANY TRIES TO SEE IF WE LIKE SOMETHING OR NOT, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO TRY IT AGAIN IF IT WAS NOT THEIR FAVORITE. THEN WE LEAD AN INQUIRY-BASED DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POWER OF PLANTS. FOOD UNEARTHED: UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT FOOD FOOD UNEARTHED: UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT FOOD IS A CURRICULUM THAT WE DEVELOPED FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN CONSISTING OF 24 LESSONS PER YEAR FOR PRE-K, KINDERGARTEN, 1ST, AND 2ND GRADES. EACH GRADE LEVEL HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE SET OF LESSONS WITH A THEME, AND EACH WEEK INCLUDES A HEALTHY PLANT-BASED SNACK. FROM JANUARY THROUGH JUNE OF 2024, WE TAUGHT A SERIES OF FIVE FOOD UNEARTHED: UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT FOOD LESSONS TO 188 PRE-K STUDENTS AT THREE UPTOWN NYC DISTRICT 2 PREK SITES. THE PARENTS LOVED THE PROGRAM AND TOLD US THAT THEY WERE TRYING THE RECIPES THAT WERE IN THE TAKE HOME HANDOUTS. FROM MARCH TO JUNE OF 2024, WE TAUGHT WEEKLY FOOD UNEARTHED CLASSES AT PS 90 IN BROOKLYN. WE REACHED FIFTY-FIVE SECOND GRADERS EVERY WEEK. COOKING CLASSESAT PS 206 IN BROOKLYN, WE PROVIDED COOKING CLASSES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY TO ALL 702 KINDERGARTEN TO THIRD GRADE STUDENTS IN THIRTY-ONE CLASSES. EACH CLASS RECEIVED TWO LESSONS. EACH STUDENT HAD THEIR OWN COOKING STATION WITH INGREDIENTS, A CHILD-SAFE KNIFE AND A CHOPPING MAT. EACH LESSON WOULD BEGIN WITH A SHORT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POWER OF WHOLE PLANT FOODS. THEN, THE INSTRUCTOR WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE RECIPE AND TALK ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS. A FEW OF THE FAVORITE RECIPES INCLUDED HUMMUS WRAPS AND NON-DAIRY PARFAITS. AFTER SCHOOL COOKING CLASSESWE PROVIDED FIVE AFTER-SCHOOL FAMILY COOKING CLASSES AT PS 244 IN QUEENS. WE DID ONE CLASS OF TWENTY PEOPLE (10 STUDENTS WITH ONE PARENT/CAREGIVER) FOR EACH GRADE IN THE SCHOOL FOR A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS. STUDENTS CHOPPED VEGGIES, MEASURED INGREDIENTS, AND ASSISTED IN PREPARING A DRESSING OR SAUCE ALONGSIDE THEIR PARENT/CAREGIVER. THE RECIPES WE PREPARED TOGETHER INCLUDED VEGGIE SPRING ROLLS WITH DIPPING SAUCE, EDAMAME HUMMUS WITH RAW VEGGIE STICKS AND OAT FLOUR PANCAKES WITH FRESH FRUIT. LUNCH & LEARN FOR TEACHERSON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS, WHEN THERE ARE NO STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING, WE MEET WITH TEACHERS DURING THEIR LUNCH HOUR. WE PROVIDE A VEGAN CATERED LUNCH AND HAVE A REGISTERED DIETICIAN DO A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ROLE OF DIET IN DISEASE PREVENTION AND REVERSAL. THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES TO ALL THE TEACHERS IN THE BUILDING AND ASK FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN PROMOTING THE PLANT BASED OPTIONS IN THE CAFETERIA TO THEIR STUDENTS. IN 2024, WE PROVIDED THESE PROGRAMS AT TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS: ONE AT CITY KNOLL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN NYC TO 25 TEACHERS AND THE OTHER AT PS 244 IN QUEENS TO 26 TEACHERS. FAMILY DINNER NIGHTSWE HAVE BEEN HOLDING FAMILY DINNER NIGHTS FOR MORE THAN 12 YEARS. FAMILY DINNER NIGHTS ARE CATERED BY EITHER THE NYC OFFICE OF FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES (OFNS) OR A RESTAURANT/CATERER THAT WE BRING IN. ANYONE WHO WORKS IN THE SCHOOL, ALL STUDENTS AND ANYONE WHO LIVES WITH THEM ARE INVITED FOR A FREE PLANT-BASED DINNER AND TALK BY A MD OR RD. IN 2024, WE HELD FIVE FAMILY DINNER NIGHTS AT PARTNER SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT NYC. AT PECK SLIP IN MANHATTAN, WE BROUGHT STEVE PIRIANO, MD IN TO DO A PRESENTATION FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 PARENTS WHILE THE STUDENTS PLAYED PLANT-BASED BINGO WITH OUR STAFF. AT PS 206 IN BROOKYN, WE PROVIDED TWO FAMILY DINNER NIGHTS, REACHING 325 STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. JONATHAN LEIBOWITZ, MD PRESENTED AT BOTH. AT PS 244 IN QUEENS, WE WERE AT MAX CAPACITY WITH TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE GUESTS. WE HAD KIDNEY BEAN RAJMA AND RICE, SALAD, AND VEGGIE BURGERS. AT PS 971 IN BROOKLYN, WE BROUGHT IN A CHEF TO MAKE DINNER WITH THE FAMILIES. EVERYONE PARTICIPATED IN CHOPPING VEGETABLES FOR A SALAD, ROLLING DOUGH FOR PASTA, AND MEASURING AND MIXING INGREDIENTS FOR COOKIES. WE HAD A TOTAL OF SIXTY PARTICIPANTS. HIGH SCHOOLS VISITING VEGAN CHEFS PROGRAMTHERE ARE OVER 15 NYC HIGH SCHOOLS WITH CULINARY ARTS PROGRAMS. THESE FOUR YEAR PROGRAMS TEACH STUDENTS NUTRITION, KNIFE SKILLS, KITCHEN AND FOOD SAFETY AND BASIC COOKING AND BAKING TECHNIQUES. WITH OUR VISITING VEGAN CHEF PROGRAM, WE INTRODUCE CULINARY STUDENTS TO THE UP AND COMING WORLD OF VEGAN CUISINE BY ENABLING THEM TO LEARN FROM AND COOK WITH ACCOMPLISHED VEGAN CHEFS. IN THESE CLASSES, STUDENTS ARE SPLIT UP INTO GROUPS OF FOUR OR FIVE TO PREPARE A RECIPE. IN 2024, WE REACHED 28 NINTH GRADERS AT FOOD AND FINANCE HIGH SCHOOL IN NYC. CHEF HALEY-JO KENNY SHOWED THE STUDENTS HOW TO MAKE VEGAN BROWNIES WITH NO REFINED SUGAR AND A MINT BERRY GARNISH. SPECIAL EVENTS AT SCHOOLSTRIP TO CATSKILL ANIMAL SANCTUARYWE BROUGHT FIFTY STUDENTS FROM CITY KNOLL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MANHATTAN TO CATSKILL ANIMAL SANCTUARY IN SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK. STUDENTS ENJOYED A DAY IN THE COUNTRY, MEETING RESCUED FARMED ANIMALS. AFTER THE TOUR, WE HAD A VEGAN PICNIC AT A STATE PARK. VEGAN EXPO WE HOSTED A SCHOOL-WIDE VEGAN EXPO AT PS 59 IN BROOKLYN FOR STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND TEACHERS. LOCAL PLANT-BASED CHEFS AND CATERERS PROVIDED SAMPLES OF BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER AND SNACK WHOLE FOODS PLANT BASED OPTIONS. STEVE PIRANO, MD GAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ROLE OF DIET IN DISEASE PREVENTION AND REVERSAL. HEALTH FAIR AT PS 143 IN QUEENS, WE PARTICIPATED IN THEIR SCHOOL-WIDE HEALTH FAIR. WE BROUGHT IN A CHEF TO DEMONSTRATE HOW TO PREPARE QUINOA AND BLACK BEAN SALAD. WE ALSO PROVIDED SAMPLES OF NON-DAIRY MILK AND DISTRIBUTED RECIPES AND RESOURCES ABOUT DIET-RELATED DISEASES AND CONDITIONS.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT FOOD UNEARTHED: UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT FOOD CURRICULUMWE CONTINUED AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS TO RE-WRITE OUR FOOD UNEARTHED CURRICULUM AND CONTINUED WORKING SPECIFICALLY ON THE LESSONS FOR PREK. THIS INVOLVED A CURRICULUM WRITER, A TEACHER, AND THE COALITION FOR HEALTHY SCHOOL FOOD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER AND INCLUDED WORK ON THE LESSONS, THE EXTENSIVE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE LESSONS, THE TAKE HOME HANDOUTS FOR THE PARENTS/CAREGIVERS, AND GETTING FEEDBACK FROM OUR TEACHERS.