One of our primary missions at Lifeway, other than providing you with the best, most nutritious foods possible, is to support the healthy development and education of children. We know that children are our future, and we know that it is becoming ever more difficult for children to learn about healthy eating – not just what to eat, but where their food comes from and why it’s important. In other words, it’s not just important to eat healthy foods, it’s also important to know how those foods came to be, how they got to your plate, and why you’re eating them.
We support many non-profit organizations, all with different missions and plans. One of our favorites is Pilot Light – an organization with a simple mission: to help children develop a healthy relationship with food. They do this by integrating nutrition education into the existing curriculum of schools, exploring the idea the food and nutrition programs aren’t and shouldn’t be supplementary, but rather an integral part of learning for children of all ages.
Bridging the Nutrition Gap
So what is a healthy relationship with food? We spoke with Alex DeSorbo-Quinn, Pilot Light’s Executive Director, for more about their model, their approach and their mission.
“We want children to develop an understanding of where their food comes from and how they get it,” said Desorbo. “From there, we want them to consider how their food choices affect their bodies, their communities and their environment. We hope that children will connect with food on a deeper level than they otherwise would, which in turn will allow them to share their experiences with their families and communities.”
Pilot Light’s approach to providing health education programs is unique: they actually integrate their lessons with a schools curriculum and work closely with classroom instructors. The chefs themselves, those who started and continue to work with Pilot Light, give the lessons. They provide hands-on activities, allowing students to learn on their own terms.
“We’re teaching children about food and nutrition in a positive way,” said DeSorbo. “We want to enrich their lives by bringing them back to what’s important on their plate.”
Pilot Light’s Third-Annual Feed Your Mind Event
One of the many (many) benefits of supporting an organization founded and run by chefs is that every event they organize will include incredible food from world-renowned chefs. We’re excited to once again sponsor Pilot Lights Feed Your Mind event, which raises funds to support the operating costs of the program, as well as build awareness of their work.
This year’s event is tonight, Friday, October 9 at Morgan Manufacturing. It will be hosted by Michel Nischan, 2015 James Beard Humanitarian of the Year, CEO of Wholesome Wave and sustainable food movement leader. The night will feature an all-star roster of chefs who will provide delicious, exclusive tastings to all attendees.
This is definitely and event you don’t want to miss! Find your tickets and more information here, including a lineup of some of Chicago’s most well-loved chefs.