FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 1, 2020) – This September, Sacramento’s Food Literacy Center is celebrating the statewide 8th annual Food Literacy Month, presented by Dignity Health. Since 2012, when Food Literacy Center worked with California legislators to pass the statewide resolution, the nonprofit has worked to share Food Literacy Month with area elementary schools, empowering children to eat their vegetables and improve their health. 

Through hands-on cooking and nutrition classes, Food Literacy Center teaches students how to taste and enjoy new fruits and vegetables. With 40% of Sacramento kids struggling with obesity and 1 in 3 suffering from Type 2 diabetes, Food Literacy Center’s continued work is essential to the Sacramento community. 

“Dignity Health is proud of our long-standing partnership with Food Literacy Center and their tireless efforts to support food literacy education,” said Laurie Harting, Greater Sacramento Division President & CEO for Dignity Health. “Never has it been more important to eat healthy, and we are excited about Food Literacy Month and the impact it will have on kids, their families and our community.”

Food Literacy Center students will receive a Veggie Recipe Kit with all the fresh veggie contenders and  to make Veggie of the Year Salad at home before voting for their favorite. The chosen featured vegetable will hold the Veggie of the Year title for one full year. 

Throughout September, five local chefs will compete to claim the title of Chef Champion for their team veggie.  Once a week throughout the month, the chefs will also take turns hosting a weekly Food Literacy Center Facebook Live video to showcase their special recipe that lets their veggie shine. Everyone is welcome to watch and vote for their favorite chef-created recipe. 

Participating chefs and their Facebook Live video dates/times, include: 

• Team Broccoli – Rick Mahan, Executive Chef/Owner, The Waterboy & OneSpeed (9/2 at 10:30 a.m.)
• Team Collard Greens – Nina Curtis, Executive Chef, Adventist Health (9/8 at 2:30 p.m.)
• Team Bok Choy – Ravin Patel, Executive Chef, Seasons Kitchen & Bar (9/15 at 2:30 p.m.)
• Team Mushrooms – Billy Ngo, Executive Chef/Partner, Kru & Kodaiko Ramen Bar (9/21 at 2:00 p.m.)
• Team Avocado – Brien Kuznicki, Executive Chef, Legends at Golden 1 Center (9/30 at 11:00 a.m.)

The public is also invited to help choose Veggie of the Year by donating to their favorite veggie team. At the end of Food Literacy Month, the team with the most donations will be named the People’s Choice winner. The Food Literacy Center has support from loyal sponsors including: Dignity Health, Clover Sonoma, Jiffy Lube, Bailarin Cellars, California Rice Commission, UC Davis Health, SMUD, Wilkey Fleury, FleishmanHillard, Honey, and Radio.com.

To learn more about Food Literacy and opportunities to get involved with their mission, visit www.foodliteracycenter.org.  

ABOUT FOOD LITERACY CENTER

Food Literacy Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) established in 2011 in Sacramento, California, with the mission of inspiring kids to eat their vegetables. The organization provides cooking and nutrition education to children in low-income elementary schools throughout the Sacramento City Unified School District to improve health, economy and the environment. For more information about Food Literacy Center, visit www.foodliteracycenter.org.

Media Release 9/1/20 - Food Literacy Month