Food Bank of Corpus Christi

Nutrition Education Programs

Nutrition Education is partially funded by USDA SNAP-Education to deliver no cost, quality nutrition education through lecture, hands on cooking classes, and games for children to adults who are on SNAP or SNAP eligible. Classes are scheduled during the school day for children or after school. Adult classes can be hosted by any group consisting of 6 or more participants.

OrganWise Guys curriculum is fun and interactive for grade school children (1^st – 5^th grade) and includes:

· MyPlate “OrganWise Guys” Style

· Pepto’s Place Where Every Serving Size is OrganWise

· Smart from the Inside Out

· Basic Training for Better Health

· Undercover Health Agents

· The Healthy Heart Challenge

Nourish curriculum is perfect for middle school and high school students who wish to learn more about how they affect the food environment through their choices:

Cooking Matters gets hands-on with healthy recipe selection, preparing and cooking; suitable for adults and kids. The 6-week course covers:

· Week One: Let’s Get Cooking

· Week Two: Choosing Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains

· Week Three: Healthy Starts at Home

· Week Four: The Power of Planning

· Week Five: Shopping Smart

· Week Six: Recipe for Success

If you would like us at your school, or can host an adult class please contact nutrition education manager Kate Hilliard, MS, RD, LD, CDE at (361) 887-6291 or email khilliard@feedingamerica.org

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Diabetes Hands-On Program

Classes held at the Garcia Arts and Education CenterAddress: 2021 Agnes Street

Reunion Time Is Here!

8 week course
2 hour class one day a week
Morning or evening classes
Hands On learning
Meal or snack served in class
Healthy eating on a budget
Exercise
Free of Charge

For more information call: 361-887-7979

Diabetes Pantry Program

Kids Cafe Program

The Kids’ Café is an after-school program that provides a safe environment where children who do not have adult supervision after school can come and receive a hot meal or snack, in addition to homework assistance. Educational, physical, and social activities are also included as part of he program. The Kids’ Café strives to offer benefits that will hopefully remain with these children their whole lives.

The goal of the Kids’ Café is to help “at risk” children lead active and healthy lifestyles and at the same time provide food and the educational support that often times is lacking at home and to:

GOALS:

Alleviate childhood hunger by providing nutritionally adequate hot meals or snacks
Educate children and their families about nutrition and healthy eating habits to help them make better food choices
Provide a safe and encouraging learning environment for children who do not have after school adult supervision
Provide children with educational, social and recreational interaction
Provide volunteers with a rewarding experience
Empower the community in response to problem of childhood hunger

Kids Cafe Backpack Program

The Kids’ Café Backpack program aims to provide children with nutritious food to take home for the weekend. The backpack is given on the last day before weekend or holiday vacations. The food provided is nutritious and child friendly.How the program works:1. Extreme food insecure children are identified by school nurse, teachers or councilors to receive a pack each week.2. A pack is given to a child who has been identified as at risk hunger.3. The student will receive a pack on Friday before leaving for home.

Mobile Pantry Program

The Mobile Pantry is a program to reach those in rural areas in the surrounding counties. Our goal is to provide and distribute food and personal care items on a monthly basis in the smaller cities that don’t have local help. The Food Bank of Corpus Christi currently reaches out to the cities like Benavides, Concepcion, Driscoll, Orange Grove, Premont, Realitos, and San Jose.

Nutrition Education Program

This is a comprehensive nutrition education curriculum created by the Nutrition Education Department of the Food Bank of Corpus Christi in cooperation with the USDA’s SNAP Education Program.

“Healthy Kitchens” is a 6-week class that meets once a week to talk about many topics including:

My Plate
Nutrition Label Reading
Shopping & Eating on a Budget
Healthy Cooking
Cooking Demos
Exercise

The program is offered to individuals as well as to partner agencies, community agencies, and rural communities within all of our 11 counties.

Outreach Program

The Outreach Program helps with application assistance provided from start to finish via telephone or in person for those without transportation, ill, disabled, or for those with inflexible work or school schedules.

Food Stamps
TANF (cash assistance)
Adult Medicaid
Women’s Health Program (special medicaid for women ages 18-44)
Chip/Children’s Medicaid
Chip Perinatal Benefits (for your unborn child)
Long Term Care (medicaid for seniors 65+ or disabled)
SNAP Cap (food stamps for seniors 50+ and on SSI)

For assistance call: Helen Escamilla at (361) 887-6291 ext. 109

Volunteer Program

Volunteers are essential to the Food Bank of Corpus Christi. Each month, volunteers contribute more than 3,000 hours to support the Food Bank’s mission by sorting donations, serving clients, working in the Community Garden and a variety of administrative opportunities.

Volunteers can help Monday – Friday from 1 pm to 4 pm, and groups of 12 or more can be scheduled in for specific week days or Saturdays. We ask that our volunteers dress appropriately by wearing closed toe shoes, dress comfortably, and any volunteer under the age of 14 yrs old will have to be accompanied by an adult. If you’re interested in volunteering your time, email Debbie Stahl at dstahl@feedingamerica.org or contact us at 361-887-6291.