New York Coalition For Healthy School Lunches Inc

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NEW YORK CITY & ITHACA PROGRAMSIN THE SPRING OF 2022, WE RESUMED IN-PERSON VISITING VEGAN CHEF CLASSES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NONPROFIT CAREERS THROUGH CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM (C-CCAP). WE REACHED A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN CULINARY STUDENTS IN THREE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS. THE THREE SCHOOLS WERE FOOD AND FINANCE HIGH SCHOOL IN MANHATTAN, FRANCIS LEWIS HIGH SCHOOL IN QUEENS AND BOERUM HILL SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BROOKLYN. OUR CLASSES PROVIDED THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE STUDENTS TO PREPARE MAIN DISH ENTREES WITH PLANT-BASED PROTEINS. WE TAUGHT A SERIES OF TWELVE FOOD UNEARTHED CLASSES FOR SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS AT CITY KNOLL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MANHATTAN. STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF FOOD CHOICES ON HEALTH, THE CLIMATE, AND ANIMALS. EVERY CLASS INCLUDED A HEALTHY SNACK, AND SEVERAL CLASSES WERE DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO THE STUDENTS MAKING THEIR OWN RECIPE. WE PROVIDED A COOKING CLASS, A NON-DAIRY MILK TASTING AND A SCREENING OF THE FILM "THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US" FOR CULINARY INTERNS AT THE DOOR, WHICH IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN NYC WHICH PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. DURING THESE PROGRAMS, OUR FACILITATORS ENGAGED THE INTERNS IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FOOD JUSTICE, EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD AND THE HIGH RATE OF DIET RELATED DISEASE IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. WE WERE A PRESENTER IN THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY RACE AGAINST WASTE PROGRAM. OUR TALK EXAMINED THE ROLE OF ANIMAL AGRICULTURE IN CLIMATE CHANGE, RESOURCE USAGE, AND POLLUTION, AND THIS UNEXAMINED BUT LARGE ASPECT OF FOOD WASTE, WITH A DEMONSTRATION OF OUR SAMPLE LESSONS TO TEACH THE TOPIC TO STUDENTS. AT THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT (BASE) IN BROOKLYN, WE PARTNERED WITH THE OFFICE OF FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES AND VOLUNTEERS FROM THE YOUTH FOOD JUSTICE NETWORK TO PROMOTE THE PLANT POWERED FRIDAY MENU ITEMS IN THE CAFETERIA. WE HANDED OUT SAMPLES OF THE BLACK BEAN PLANTAIN POWER BOWL AND ENCOURAGED STUDENTS TO TRY IT AND GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK. WE PARTICIPATED IN BASE HIGH SCHOOL'S EARTH DAY EVENT WITH A DISTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN VEGAN STARTER GUIDES, DONATED NON-DAIRY MILK AND PACKAGES OF TRAIL MIX. AT PS 84 IN QUEENS, WE PARTICIPATED IN THEIR SCHOOL WIDE EARTH DAY EVENT WITH A DISTRIBUTION OF CHICKPEA CURRY, RECIPES, AND LITERATURE ABOUT DIET AND CLIMATE CHANGE. WE HELD AN IN-PERSON FAMILY DINNER NIGHT AT PS 1 IN THE BRONX WHICH INCLUDED A TALK BY DR. MOIZ KASUBHAI, INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST AT LINCOLN HOSPITAL ON THE TOPIC OF DIET-RELATED DISEASES AND A PLANT-BASED MEAL SHOWCASING THE PLANT POWERED FRIDAY MEALS SERVED IN THE SCHOOLS. THE DISHES SERVED WERE ZESTY CHICKPEA STEW, ROASTED BROCCOLI AND BLACK BEAN AND PLANTAIN POWER BOWL. IN JUNE, WE PROVIDED TWO LUNCH AND LEARN PROGRAMS FOR ALL THE TEACHING STAFF AT PS 244 IN QUEENS. THE EVENTS INCLUDED A PRESENTATION BY KRISTIN KABAY, RD AND A DELICIOUS PLANT-BASED CATERED LUNCH BY GOTHAM CATERING AND EVENTS. MS. KABAY'S FIRST PRESENTATION WAS ON PREVENTING AND REVERSING DISEASE WITH DIET AND THE SECOND COVERED DIET AND NUTRITION MYTHS. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2022, WE HOSTED A SUMMER PARTY AT PS 1 IN THE BRONX FOR FIFTY-FIVE STUDENTS. WE SERVED FOOD FROM VSPOT (A VEGAN COLOMBIAN RESTAURANT) THAT WAS DONATED BY OUR CO-SPONSOR SUPPORT + FEED. SUPPORT + FEED IS A NON-PROFIT FOUNDED BY ACTRESS MAGGIE BAIRD (ALSO MOM TO BILLIE EILISH) TO SUPPORT VEGAN RESTAURANTS DURING THE PANDEMIC AND FEED PEOPLE IN NEED. THE STUDENTS ENJOYED A LIVE HIP HOP SHOW FEATURING SQUALA ORPHAN AND HIS THEN 8-YEAR-OLD SON HETEP WHO RAP ABOUT THE POWER OF HEALTHY FOOD TO UPLIFT OUR MOOD AND FUEL OUR BODY. IN THE FALL OF 2022, WE STARTED OUR IN-PERSON WEEKLY FOOD UNEARTHED CLASSES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED. WE TAUGHT ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS IN EIGHT CLASSROOMS IN THREE SCHOOLS (PS 90 IN CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN, PS 971 IN SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN AND PS 343 IN MANHATTAN). EVERY WEEK INCLUDED A HEALTHY PLANT-BASED SNACK, AND SEVERAL LESSONS WERE DEVOTED TO THE STUDENTS MAKING THEIR OWN FOOD. WE PROVIDED EIGHT AFTER-SCHOOL COOKING CLASSES FOR TWELVE FIFTH GRADERS AT PS 134 IN KENSINGTON, BROOKLYN. STUDENTS PREPARED HEALTHY DISHES WITH INGREDIENTS THEY HAD NEVER TRIED BEFORE, INCLUDING LENTIL SALAD, ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH HOMEMADE PESTO, NON-DAIRY YOGURT PARFAITS, AND LEARNED ABOUT THE POWER OF PLANT FOODS. ALL THE SCHOOLS WE SERVE HAVE HIGH NUMBERS OF BIPOC CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. OUR COOKING INSTRUCTORS AND EDUCATORS COME FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO REFLECT THE DIVERSE LEADERSHIP IN THE FOOD JUSTICE COMMUNITY AND TO REFLECT THE POPULATION OF THE SCHOOLS.IN ITHACA, WE WERE WELCOMED BACK INTO SCHOOLS IN THE SPRING OF 2022 AFTER THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC TO CONDUCT TASTE TESTS IN CAFETERIAS AT LUNCHTIME. WE CONDUCTED TASTE TESTING OF PLANT-BASED LUNCH ENTREES 18 TIMES TOTAL ACROSS FIVE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS INCLUDING: BJM, CAROLINE, ENFIELD, FALL CREEK, AND NORTHEASTERN FOR A TOTAL OF 2,289 INDIVIDUAL TASTE TESTS WITH APPROXIMATELY 800 UNIQUE STUDENTS. RECIPES TESTED INCLUDED MS. PATEL'S RAJMA, AWESOME BEAN BURGER, CHINESE TOFU FRIED RICE, ROY'S CUBAN WRAP, POWER HUMMUS, AND WEST AFRICAN BEANS & GREENS. ON AVERAGE, 63% OF STUDENTS LIKED THE FOOD, 25% THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY, AND 12% DID NOT CARE FOR IT. WE FORAYED INTO THE BREAKFAST ARENA AND PILOTED A HOT OATMEAL BAR WITH TOPPINGS AT TWO SCHOOLS, SERVING 45 STUDENTS AT NORTHEAST AND 61 AT CAROLINE. WHILE THERE WAS NOT TIME FOR VOTING AT BREAKFAST, RESPONSE UPON SEEING THE TOPPINGS ELICITED JOYFUL COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS, AND THE PROOF WAS THAT STUDENTS ATE WHAT THEY TOOK. AS A RESULT, IN THE FALL, THE ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED THE HOT OATMEAL BARS IN ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, HOWEVER WITH LIMITED TOPPINGS BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN AND LABOR CHALLENGES.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT & OTHER PROGRAMSIN MARCH OF 2022 WE VIRTUALLY PRESENTED TO THE NEW YORK STATE DRY BEAN FARMERS ABOUT OUR WORK IN SCHOOLS. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 40 FARMERS AND THOSE WHO WORK WITH FARMERS THERE. WE PRESENT TO THEM EVERY YEAR ABOUT OUR WORK GETTING BEANS ON SCHOOL MENUS AND THEY PROVIDE US WITH A GRANT TO DO THIS WORK. FROM JULY AUGUST, THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA (CIA) IN HYDE PARK, NY, TESTED AND SCALED OUR QUANTITY SIZE RECIPES TO A CONSISTENT YIELD OF 100. THIS PROJECT IS ONGOING IN 2023 AT THE CIA SAN ANTONIO CAMPUS TO RE-TEST SOME RECIPES AND TO STANDARDIZE THE RECIPE FORMAT. THE RECIPES WERE SERVED TO CIA CULINARY STUDENTS AS A LUNCH OPTION WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS TO GIVE FEEDBACK.IN JULY, ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WE BROUGHT A TOTAL OF FORTY FIFTH GRADERS FROM THE BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE KINGSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE CIA TO TASTE-TEST RECIPES THAT WERE DEVELOPED FOR US BY RESTAURANTS AND OTHER CULINARY PARTNERS, FOR SCHOOLS, THAT THE CIA WAS TESTING FOR US.WE PARTICIPATED IN TWO IN-PERSON CONFERENCES IN OCTOBER: PROVIDING A PRESENTATION AT THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE FOR GETTING PLANT-BASED MEALS ON SCHOOL MENUS, AND EXHIBITING AT THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE BY OFFERING A FOLDER OF INFORMATION FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS TO TAKE BACK TO THEIR DISTRICT'S FOOD SERVICE DIRECTORS, AND CONDUCTED A TASTING OF FIVE USDA COMPLIANT PLANT-BASED OPTIONS THAT MET THE "MEAT/MEAT ALTERNATE" COMPONENT REQUIREMENT. STARTING IN APRIL AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, WE BEGAN AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS TO RE-WRITE OUR FOOD UNEARTHED CURRICULUM AND SPECIFICALLY WORKED 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. THESE LESSONS WERE TAUGHT IN THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY AS LISTED IN THE NEW YORK CITY PROGRAMS, ABOVE.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMSFROM JANUARY TO JUNE OF 2022, WE HELD FIVE VIRTUAL FAMILY DINNER NIGHTS FOR OUR PARTNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (FOUR WITH PS 971 IN BROOKLYN AND ONE WITH PS 244 IN QUEENS). EVERY FAMILY THAT PARTICIPATED RECEIVED A BAG WITH ALL THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THE RECIPE. EACH EVENT FEATURED A DIFFERENT CULINARY CUISINE WITH A CHEF FROM THAT CULTURE. IN MAY, WE PROVIDED VIRTUAL CATSKILL ANIMAL SANCTUARY TOURS FOR 61 KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS AND 40 THIRD GRADERS AT PS 244 IN BROOKLYN. OUR NUTRITION EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR TASHYA KNIGHT PROVIDED A ONE-HOUR VIRTUAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PRESENTATION TO SIXTEEN STAFF AND TEACHERS AT CITY KNOLL MIDDLE SCHOOL.