Our Vision
To ensure access to nourishing food and active play in public schools.
Our Mission
Wellness in the Schools is a national nonprofit that teaches public school students healthy habits to learn, live, and thrive.
How
Wellness in the Schools is a national nonprofit that teaches children healthy habits to learn, live and thrive. We partner with public schools, chefs and coaches to ensure access to nourishing food and active play. Our collaborative approach and programming aim to shift the culture of schools to prioritize well-being. Founded in 2005 by Nancy Easton and Bill Telepan, Wellness in the Schools reaches over one million public school students across the country every school day.
Our Cook for Kids program helps feed kids real food, transforming the cafeteria menu and making the classroom a fun and encouraging space to learn about nutrition. Our Coach for Kids program helps let kids play and be more active throughout the school day. Our Green for Kids program helps get kids green through environmental sustainability education and hands-on gardening experience.
Why
Over one-third of children under the age of 18 in the United States are affected by chronic lifestyle illnesses, with higher prevalence in BIPOC populations. Children spend about 12,000 hours in school between kindergarten and high school graduation, making schools the ideal and most equitable environment to shape their wellness behavior.
In the United States, 22 million children rely on free or reduced-price lunch each year, making it crucial that these school-lunch programs are nutritious, and that children are provided ample opportunity to move throughout the school day. Our programming efforts honor the inherent resilience and self-sufficiency of communities facing injustice and compounding social determinants of health.