Chefs for Kids, Inc. is a joint venture of local Chefs (American Culinary Federation of Chefs of Las Vegas) and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. The Chefs for Kids, Inc. program works to eliminate malnutrition and hunger through education and awareness. Often in a society where television and computers bring information to our doorstep, we assume that simple facts like knowing that a pear grows on a tree or that a balanced diet is essential to good health hroughout a lifetime are well known by everyone. Surprisingly, many children lack the essential nutrition knowledge necessary to fight personal battles against poor eating habits.

Chefs for Kids, Inc. has chosen to fight this battle by providing nutrition education to students in “high needs” schools in Nevada’s Clark County School District. The chefs team up with nutrition educators from University of Nevada Cooperative Extension who developed nutrition curricula for first and second grade children. Students learn about choosing foods that provide the greatest benefit to their bodies and about the role that physical activity plays in a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum is tailored to the needs and abilities of the children being served.

Some of the highlights over the past years include:

• Education to 12 core “high needs” schools each year with a second grade program

• The video curriculum, “Adventures with Chefs for Kids,” is being taught to first grade students at high needs schools throughout the Clark County School District. This curriculum includes a five-part video that supports accompanying lesson plans.

• A snack program has been created in the 12 core schools. Through the Chefs for Kids program, all students are provided a healthy snack one a month — that’s over 79,000 snacks a year! The snacks reinforce the concept that healthful snacking is important to the well being of individuals, young and old alike.

• Fabulous breakfasts were prepared and served by the chefs at 12 high needs school throughout the year. Almost 10,000 students were fed.

• Chefs for Kids, Inc. provided Thanksgiving Baskets and Holiday Food Gift Cards for
several families in each of our 12 schools. All of the food was prepared and packaged to that
the families would only have to heat it and serve.

• A spectacular Christmas Eve breakfast and a pre-Mother’s Day luncheon were prepared and served to the residents of Shade Tree Shelter. Not only were their bodies fed, but also their spirits as they received a visit and gifts from Santa on Christmas Eve.`

• Chefs for Kids, Inc. has helped many needful students from the Clark County School District’s Highly Gifted Program to attend specialized training programs to fulfill their potential as students.

• Now in its 19th year, the educational program has reached over 28,000 students since its inception. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this year’s dinner and auction will remain in Clark County, funding the nutrition program for the 209-2010 school year. As the Chefs for Kids program continues to grow, so shall education, awareness and good health for a lifetime.