The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation has awarded $250,000 in Get Kids Cooking grants to support youth culinary education programs. An estimated 7,000 students at 25 schools nationwide will participate in the program.
“Hands-on experiences preparing fresh snacks and meals help kids build real skills and a positive connection with healthy eating,” said Lyndsey Waugh, executive director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation.
“At school, these lessons also bring science, math and problem-solving to life, making learning more engaging and fun.”
The schools were selected from more than 1,300 nominations submitted by Sprouts customers as part of its Get Kids Cooking contest in January.
The grant, valued at $10,000, includes a mobile cooking cart, small appliances and kitchen essentials, classroom-friendly recipes, gift cards to purchase fresh ingredients at Sprouts and a stipend for the educator teaching the program.
A complete list of the selected schools is available at Sprouts.com/getkidscooking.
“This grant will help energize our culinary science program and give our school the extra boost we need to provide all 450 students on campus with regular cooking experiences throughout the year,” said Janet Ankrum, STEM/exploratory middle school teacher at Catalina Ventura School in Phoenix. “It’s a dream come true for our students.”
Sprouts has championed school-based gardening and cooking programs since 2015, recognizing the positive impact growing, tasting and preparing fresh fruits and vegetables has in shaping a child’s long-term preferences for healthy eating.
An estimated 3 million children across the country will participate in nutrition education programs funded by the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation this year.
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