Wellness Program Finder

About

The Wellness Program Finder is a searchable database of food, nutrition, physical and mental health programs serving New York City PreK-12 public schools, run by nonprofits, hospitals, companies, government agencies, and universities.

Submit a Program

If your organization is a program provider for NYC PreK-12 students, we invite you to submit your program(s) for inclusion in our database. Our database includes, but is not limited to: food, nutrition, physical activity, and mental health programs. Our goal is to create an inclusive database to showcase the breadth of programming available to NYC schools.

Submit a Program

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Who is this Database For?

The database was designed for three key audiences:

School community members such as school leaders, parents, teachers, after-school organizers, to find programs for their students.

Program organizers to identify, learn from, and collaborate with partners.

Funders and policymakers to be informed of the landscape of programming in NYC schools.

How Was Information for the Database Collected?

The database was created in collaboration with the Tisch Food Center and the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. Organizations self-select and submit program information using our program survey.

This information is not vetted by the Tisch Food Center, the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, or New York City Department of Education. The programs listed are not comprehensive or inclusive of ALL programs available.

Is the Database Updated?

This database is periodically updated with new/updated information about programs. Please reach out to the program or visit their website for the most up-to-date information.

Who Should I Contact if I Have Questions About the Database?

If you have any suggestions, comments, questions, or concerns about our database, please email us at tischfoodcenter@tc.columbia.edu

Organization: The Sylvia Center

Cooks for Health Family

Cooks for Health programming provides culinary and nutrition education through cooking classes. In this series, a parent or guardian joins child(ren) of any age in their own kitchen to prepare nutrition-focused recipes. Recipe kits serving 4-6 are provided for the virtual class.

Students learn to prepare healthy, plant-based recipes. The Chef Educator emphasizes the role of nutrition in good health and focuses on building participants’ skills, confidence, and food knowledge inside and outside the kitchen.

The program helps families to learn basic cooking skills with the tools they have in their own kitchen. Additionally, families can ensure at least one healthy meal per week with the provision of the fresh food meal kit.

Length/Duration:

Six weeks series

Requirement(s):

A central pick-up location is needed for the meal kits preferably with a refrigerator space
At least one staff member or volunteer should be available to distribute the meal kits
TSC is able to work with most partner's budgets, mitigating costs they cannot cover whenever possible
Underserved neighborhoods are prioritized

Language(s): EnglishSpanish (pending instructor availability)

Topic(s) Addressed: Family mealsFood cultureFood safetyNutrition knowledgeObesity and other diet related diseasesRecipes

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Disclaimer: 1) Subject to change; 2) Information is self-submitted by program organization; 3) Final cost is determined by the program provider and requesting school.

Registered DOE Vendor

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Organization: The Sylvia Center

Cooks for Health Teen

Cooks for Health programming provides culinary and nutrition education through cooking classes for students ages 13-24. Students learn to prepare healthy, plant-based recipes. The Chef Educator emphasizes the role of nutrition in good health and focuses on building participants’ skills, confidence, and food knowledge inside and outside the kitchen.

The Cooks for Health Teen program teaches not only basic culinary and nutrition skills but introduces students to food science and food justice. When applicable, the program can provide some workforce development training and a weekly mindfulness session.

Length/Duration:

Flexible program, 6-14 lessons

Requirement(s):

A space with a sink and electricity is needed for the program (classroom, cafeteria, etc)
It is the partner's responsibility to recruit students for the program
TSC is able to work with most partner's budgets, mitigating costs they cannot cover whenever possible
Underserved neighborhoods are prioritized

Language(s): EnglishSpanish (pending instructor availability)

Topic(s) Addressed: Family mealsFood environment/accessGrowing food/gardening skillsMedia literacyFood cultureFood justiceFood safetyHuman body systemsNutrition knowledgeObesity and other diet related diseasesRecipesMental health

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Disclaimer: 1) Subject to change; 2) Information is self-submitted by program organization; 3) Final cost is determined by the program provider and requesting school.

Registered DOE Vendor

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Organization: The Sylvia Center

Cooks for Health Youth

Cooks for Health programming provides culinary and nutrition education through cooking classes for students ages 11-13. Students learn to prepare healthy, plant-based recipes. The Chef Educator emphasizes the role of nutrition in good health and focuses on building participants’ skills, confidence, and food knowledge inside and outside the kitchen.

Students not only learn basic culinary and nutrition skills, but also receive an introduction to food science and food justice.

Length/Duration:

Flexible program, 6-14 lessons

Requirement(s):

A space with a sink and electricity is needed to run the program (this can be a classroom, cafeteria, etc)
At least one staff member or volunteer from the partner organization to be present for the program
TSC is able to work with most partner's budgets, mitigating costs they cannot cover whenever possible
Underserved neighborhoods are prioritized

Language(s): EnglishSpanish (pending instructor availability)

Topic(s) Addressed: Family mealsFood environment/accessFood cultureFood justiceFood safetyNutrition knowledgeObesity and other diet related diseasesRecipes

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Disclaimer: 1) Subject to change; 2) Information is self-submitted by program organization; 3) Final cost is determined by the program provider and requesting school.

Registered DOE Vendor

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Organization: Food Bank For New York City

CookShop

CookShop is a teach-the-teacher nutrition education program where we train NYC teachers how to implement the programming at their school. CookShop teaches children about nutrition education and exposes them to a variety of fruits and vegetables at an early age.

CookShop provides education, print materials, food and support to NYC classrooms, and provides children with hands on cooking experience at no cost to the school.

Contact: cfitzpatrick@foodbanknyc.org

Length/Duration:

CookShop K-2 is an 18 week program at one hour per week
Cookshop 3-5, CookShop for Families, After School, and Summer are all 6 weeks at about 1 hour per week

Requirement(s):

The main requirement is staff and leadership buy in at the schools, as they are the ones ultimately running these programs
Our team provides the resources, training and technical support year-round

Language(s): English

Topic(s) Addressed: Family mealsFood environment/accessGrowing food/gardening skillsFood cultureFood justiceFood safetyHuman body systemsNutrition knowledgeObesity and other diet related diseasesRecipesPhysical activity/PE

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Disclaimer: 1) Subject to change; 2) Information is self-submitted by program organization; 3) Final cost is determined by the program provider and requesting school.

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Credit: Bronx Health REACH

Organization: Bronx Health REACH/ Institute for Family Health

Creating Healthy Schools and Communities

Creating Healthy Schools and Communities is a New York State-funded multi-sectoral effort to promote nutrition, healthy food access, opportunities for physical activity, and physical education in high-need communities across the state.

Bronx Health REACH supports schools across the Bronx in setting up school wellness councils, and provides technical assistance so that schools can implement school wellness policies.

This program supports schools in setting up sustainable wellness programming that can live on beyond the technical assistance from Bronx Health REACH.

Contact: Diana Bernaldibernal@institute.org

Length/Duration:

Usually 1-4x/month for an hour each (frequency of wellness council meetings)

Requirement(s):

Paid Staff
School demographics
Bronx Health REACH works with high-needs schools within Bronx districts. We work with paid staff (and volunteers, if applicable) to set up and sustain wellness councils within each school.

Language(s): English

Topic(s) Addressed: Food environment/accessGrowing food/gardening skillsMedia literacyFood justiceNutrition knowledgeObesity and other diet related diseasesPhysical activity/PESchool wellness councils to address overall health and wellness within schools and communities

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Disclaimer: 1) Subject to change; 2) Information is self-submitted by program organization; 3) Final cost is determined by the program provider and requesting school.

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Organization: Allergic to Salad

Culinary Explorers

Through cooking, we'll take a voyage around the world exploring International cuisines, ingredients, and dishes-- from korma to homemade tortillas, and sweet potato gnocchi to kimchi. CORE-aligned and designed for kindergarten through fifth grade, students will gain an understanding of culinary techniques, tools, and kitchen safety. Students will use their 5 senses to strengthen fine motor and receptive language skills, while being encouraged to be adventurous eaters. Classes are fully vegetarian and totally nut-free.

Gain an understanding of culinary techniques, tools, and kitchen safety. Students will use their 5 senses to strengthen fine motor and receptive language skills, while being encouraged to be adventurous eaters.

Our trained educators bring everything and come to your site to lead classes. Current programming is in over 150 sites across NYC.

Contact: Stacey@allergictosalad.com

Length/Duration:

Class length is 60-minutes.
10-34 weeks of programming.

Requirement(s):

Class space with working sink. We bring all equipment and ingredients.

Language(s): EnglishSpanish

Topic(s) Addressed: Family mealsFood environment/accessGrowing food/gardening skillsFood cultureFood justiceFood safetyNutrition knowledgeObesity and other diet related diseasesRecipesMental healthCORE-aligned

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Disclaimer: 1) Subject to change; 2) Information is self-submitted by program organization; 3) Final cost is determined by the program provider and requesting school.

Registered DOE Vendor

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