The CFB Kid’s Club – Adventures in Nutrition!

Kids Cafe has a new name. It is now called the CFB Kid’s Club – Adventures in Nutrition! Kid’s Club is still a unique way of helping low-income children who are at risk of malnutrition, obesity, and other chronic health problems. Our program currently operates three days a week at nine different sites in the greater Tucson area. We partner with the Tucson Parks and Recreation KIDCO program to provide children a free, nutritious snack after school and a lesson in nutrition education. Our menus exceed the USDA recommended guidelines for children and our lessons focus on the whole child by covering topics such as: How My Body Works, Keeping Myself Safe, Keeping Myself Healthy, Fun Food Facts, Kids in the Kitchen, and My Community. Each of these main topics includes a variety of subtopics that teach the children why it’s important to take good care of themselves and be healthy. Working in this manner, we have changed lives and not just filled empty tummies.

Our Child Nutrition Programs Manager prepares each of the 10-15 minute lessons which are then presented by staff and volunteers at each of the sites. Students from the University of Arizona Nutrition Sciences Department also participate in the program by serving as interns and volunteering at many of the locations. This joint collaboration allows for children to have one-on-one contact with young adults who also serve as role models to the children. For more information on the Kid’s Club program contact Sandra Vijsma, our Child Nutrition Programs Manager, at 520-622-0525 ext. 247 or svijsma@communityfoodbank.com.