by Justin Crum

Summer in the Food Bank’s Nutrition & Health Education department is not as quiet as you might think. While teachers and students are on summer break, we are spending time with principals and assistant principals, recruiting for the upcoming CookShop year. Every year new schools join CookShop, allowing the program to reach thousands of new children, teens and families.

CookShop Classroom is expanding this year, more than ever before — both by adding new schools, and new classrooms within schools.

After a successful pilot year, our CookShop for Adults component is also expanding quite a bit, to reach more parents and caregivers of our CookShop Classroom students.

And by continuing our partnership with wonderful organizations like the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and The After School Corporation (TASC), CookShop Classroom for After-School will also reach many more students.

Last, but certainly not least, is CookShop for Teens (EATWISE), which is entering a very special and revitalizing program year. This year we are working with a select group of teens from all five boroughs to redevelop our curriculum for the 2011–12 school year. Please stay tuned for more CookShop stories and photos throughout the year!

If your elementary school is interested in joining CookShop, it’s not too late to apply! Interested principals and assistant principals should check the eligibility requirements and then register for an orientation online.