MALDEF and Sodexo Partner to Bring Health and Wellness Initiative to Chicago Neighborhoods
MALDEF Parent School Partnership (PSP) program will offer health and nutrition workshops for Latino families
June 29, 2009
CHICAGO, IL – The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s (MALDEF) Parent School Partnership (PSP) Program and Sodexo, a world leader in foodservice and facilities management, forged a new joint venture to deliver an innovative health and wellness initiative for Latino families residing in Chicago, IL. The project is aimed at helping residents of Pilsen and Little Village communities improve their eating habits.
The initiative will consist of a two-part workshop that will cover basic concepts of health and nutrition and how to apply these at home through a cooking class. The next workshops will take place on June 29th, September 30th and December 3rd at Gads Hill Center located on 1919 West Cullerton Street, Chicago, IL 60608. The audience for the June 29th workshop will be elementary school children who are currently participating in the Club Learn Program at Gads Hill Center.
Veronica Reyes, MALDEF's Chicago PSP Director, said, “With this new initiative, MALDEF and Sodexo will strengthen our commitment to building healthier and stronger communities. The MALDEF PSP Program is not only invested in empowering parents to advocate for a quality education for their children, but also to promote healthy lifestyles and provide nutritious meals for their families.”
“Obesity issues adversely affect the health of many Latino families. We are thrilled to partner with MALDEF to help parents create nutritious meals and implement changes that will blend their traditions and culture with healthy recipes and lifestyle choices,” said Sodexo School Services President Lorna Donatone. “As leaders in addressing the importance of student well-being and nutrition in school cafeterias, we are committed to sharing our expertise to give Hispanic children a healthy start to life at home as well as in school.”
For all media inquiries, please contact Laura Rodriguez.
