CookShop funding restored

The Food Bank for New York City has received $5.2 million in federal nutrition education funding to put the popular citywide CookShop program back on track to provide 30,000 low-income children with nutrition education in their classrooms.

UFT Vice President Karen Alford applauded the news, noting that the UFT had responded to program funding cuts earlier this year with letters to First Lady Michelle Obama, members of Congress and Gov. Andrew Cuomo pointing out the importance of the program in helping the estimated 40 percent of New York City public school children who are overweight or obese.

The funding will enable the 1,500 teachers who volunteered for training in the program last fall to continue their work promoting good nutrition and healthy food choices in the classroom as part of the UFT’s Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities initiative.