Whole Foods’ Foundation to Help Expand Wellness Program

Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market has teamed its Whole Kids Foundation with the nonprofit educational organization, FoodFight, to expand the Teacher Wellness Program to six U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Boulder, Colo., and New Haven, Conn.

The program examines the social, political and economic forces that shape what consumers eat and offers strategies for improving health to help empower teachers and students to make healthier, conscious choices. Part one of the curriculum focuses on media literacy by deconstructing existing notions of food, consumer culture and the influences of advertising and branding. Part two focuses on basic nutrition education and practical skills to support healthier eating habits including cooking classes and tips for navigating the supermarket.

“Teachers have the power to profoundly influence students’ attitudes toward food and act as a powerful resource when it comes to ending our nation’s obesity epidemic,” said Carolyn Cohen, co-founder of FoodFight. “Together with Whole Kids Foundation, our goal is to arm teachers with the critical knowledge and tools they need to change their purchasing and eating habits and become role models for their students.”

Through this pilot program, Whole Kids Foundation and FoodFight plan to reach 2,000 teachers across the country; additional cities will be named in the coming months.

“Whole Kids Foundation is proud to partner with FoodFight to support the health and wellness of teachers,” said Nona Evans, executive director and president of Whole Kids Foundation. “As former teachers, FoodFight’s founders understand the challenges teachers face when it comes to making healthy choices and they are passionate about making a difference in the classroom.”

Whole Kids Foundation is dedicated to improving childhood nutrition and increasing access to healthy food choices through programs that include salad bars, school gardens and healthy eating education for teachers.