Dear fellow Houstonian,

Have you noticed? From cherubic to pudgy, weight can sneak up on a child. Today in Houston, more than 50% of fourth graders are losing the battle of the bulge as obesity has become a full-blown national epidemic. A child who is at risk for obesity by 11 will face a lifetime of serious medical problems ranging from diabetes to heart failure. Obesity is weighing our nation down physically, mentally, and financially—last year costing Texas taxpayers over $9 billion.

To tackle this crisis, we must alter the way our children understand, appreciate and eat their food. The Recipe for Success Foundation is doing just that.

We are translating research into action by mobilizing community volunteers to work with elementary students, teachers, administrators and parents to integrate nutrition throughout our children’s school curriculum. At the same time we are working with school lunch providers to improve the quality of the meals they serve.

Houston’s finest chefs have volunteered to be on the front line in 4th grade classrooms teaching children how to cook healthy snacks and meals, and we are building specially designed teaching gardens in elementary schools to put children in touch with their food from seed to plate—a proven strategy for establishing healthy habits.

Additionally, with the help of Mayor Bill White, we are establishing urban organic farms to bring fresh produce and food security to at-risk neighborhoods.

Would you like to help? You can play an important role in our struggle to defeat childhood obesity. Please join with us in the fight.

Gracie Cavnar

Founder

Programs

Chefs in Schools

featuring Houston’s finest chefs as volunteers

  • In-school cooking classes for 4th graders
  • Collaboration with HISD Food Services to create healthy school breakfasts, lunches and snacks
  • Healthy cooking classes for families
  • Field trips to restaurants, farms & markets

Recipe Gardens

  • Integrated garden and kitchen classroom on elementary school grounds
  • Food-based curriculum for Pre-K through 5th grade
  • Farmer’s Markets conducted by students

Team Nutrition Leader:

  • Trainand mentor volunteer elementary school leaders
  • Work with teachers, administrators and parents
  • Integrate nutrition vertically throughout the curriculum

Web-based Data Project

  • Comprehensive database of proven tactics and locally available resources
  • Supports parents, teachers and volunteers
  • Discussion forums to share strategies and successes.
  • Online newsletter

Kids Cooking

  • City-wide healthy recipe contest for children
  • Kids Cooking video
  • Kids Cooking Cookbook
  • Kids Cooking PBS television show

Hope Farms

  • Transform unused, inner-city property into productive,organic urban farms offering employment and micro-business opportunities for high school students.
  • On-site teaching kitchen with full-time culinary staff presenting year-round programs to children through field trips, after-school, summer school and parent/child evening classes.

Gracie, you can count on me!

 I would like to support your efforts with

 $500 to build a Recipe Garden bed

 $250 to buy supplies for a Cooking Cart

 $100 to give workbooks to a 4th grade class

 Other $______

My check is enclosed Please charge my:

Visa MasterCard American Express

Card #______

Name as it appears on the card:

______

3-4 digit security code______

Billing Address:

______

City/State/Zip: ______

Phone:______Email:______

 Please send me your email newsletter

 Send me information about volunteering

How you wish your gift to appear in our acknowledgement of donors? (please print)

______

Recipe for Success Foundation is a 501(c) 3 charity. Your gift is fully tax deductible.

Please mail or fax this completed form to:

Recipe for Success Foundation

1401 McKinney, Suite 925

Houston, TX 77010

713-307-7005

713-307-7015 (fax)

The Recipe for Success Foundation

is dedicated to combating childhood obesity and encouraging long term health

by altering the way our children

understand, appreciate and eat their food.

Recipe for Success concentrates its efforts

on mobilizing community volunteers and

providing them with a well structured opportunity for impact through collaboration and implementation of available resources,

while creating a working model that can be easily replicated.

Board of Directors

Gracie Cavnar, Founder & Chairman

Phyllis Abyad

Amy Anton

Paula Arnold

Honi Ann & Glen Boudreaux

Bob Cavnar

Dr. Yvonne Cormier, MD

Franci Crane

Justin Hamilton

Monica Pope & Andrea Lazar

Nancy Murray, Dr.PH.

Patty Porter

Ellen Susman

Kim Tutcher

Science Advisory Board

Nancy Murray, Dr.PH., Chair

Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, RD, LD, CNS

Steve Kelder, PhD, MPH

Chef’s Advisory Board

Monica Pope & Andrea Lazar, Chairs

Bryan Caswell

Domenica Catelli

Charles Clark

Robert del Grande

Randy Evans

Lance Fegan

Peter & Regina Garcia

Jason Gould

Anita Jaisinghani

Ouisie Jones

Al King

Jim Manning

Bruce McMillian

Hugo Ortega

Randy Rucker

John Schenk

Philippe Schmit

John Sheely

Claire Smith

Jeb Stuart

Scott Tycer

Carl Walker

THANK YOU TO

Sponsor of We’re Cooking Now! events & Chefs in Schools

Programs sponsored in part by contributions from:

The Cavnar Foundation, Gracie & Bob Cavnar, ChevronTexaco,

Sara S. Morgan, Porter & Hedges, & Kim & Dan Tutcher

and many other generous donors.

Chefs, Farmers, Volunteers, Donors & Teachers come together to improve our children’s health by

changing the way they eat.

2006-07 Pilot Elementary Schools:

Briscoe, Gross, MacGregor,

NQ HendersonSylvanRodríguez

In the news . . .

A 2006 Washington Post online survey reveals that up to 30% of those responding would rather leave a marriage, give up the possibility of having children, be depressed or become an alcoholic than be obese. 5% actually would rather lose a limb or be blind than be fat. Yet, federal studies estimate that 31% of American adults are obese and another 33% are overweight.


“The most neglected schoolroom

is the lunchroom.”

Alice Waters

Chef, Cookbook Author &

Founder of The Edible Schoolyard