Recognizing the need to fight the childhood obesity epidemic, we have partnered with UnitedHealthcare and local after-school programs to administer our Kids in the Kitchen (KITK) program. Through this nationally recognized health education program, we will reach more than 1,000 Dallas County children and parents this year with a curriculum covering the basics of nutrition, healthy meal preparation and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The goal of the KITK program is to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices and reverse the trend of childhood obesity and its associated health issues. Through KITK interactive program, children are taught how to prepare easy, nutritious meals, work safely in the kitchen and incorporate exercise into their daily lives. All recipes are kid tested and truly kid friendly, calling for simple ingredients that do not require an oven or stove.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN

Thanks to JLD and sponsor United Healthcare, KITK provides each agency with the tools and supplies to implement a condensed version of the program. In 2022 agencies visited Headquarters for training, picked up their supplies and discussed ways to meet the unique needs of their own agency programming.