The Community Center of Northern Westchester, a food pantry and clothing bank serving thousands of northern Westchester families, is partnering with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, to present Food for Thought: Eating Well on a Budget, a bilingual (English-Spanish) outreach to help families cope with uncertain or limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Locally, Food for Thought is being presented in free workshops created by Community Center staff and volunteers including Dr. Randi Feldman, a retired pediatrician, and Shirley Buontempo, a Community Center board member. The first workshop was held Sunday, February 6at the Bedford Hills Community House. Similar workshops are planned for February 27 at the Ossining Public Library and March 20 at the Mt. Kisco Public Library. 

 Drawing on a passion for good nutrition as key to pediatric health, Dr. Feldman leads an informative, interactive presentation of healthy foods, including easy preparation of nutritious snacks and low-cost meals. At Sunday’s workshop, Dr. Feldman used a table filled with fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain items to explain the importance of nutritious eating and to demonstrate food preparation. She also addressed a critical topic for families in attendance: how to provide quick healthy options for those with limited time and money.

 “Eating and living well is not exclusive to high income groups,” Dr. Feldman said. “All it takes is a desire to learn and a willingness to try.” In addition to basic nutrition education, Dr. Feldman offered families useful tips to make good eating a habit. “Prepare healthy snacks at home and take them on the go in zip-top plastic bags and reusable plastic containers,” she told workshop attendees. “Parents should always have nutritious food— in the handbag, in the car— for anytime your child needs to refuel.”

Attendees at Sunday’s workshop were eager to learn. One mother wanted dietary advice for her nine-year-old who was diagnosed with high cholesterol. “If it’s a dietary cause, by making your choices leaner and increasing fiber, you can dramatically lower your cholesterol,” Dr. Feldman told the mother. But Dr. Feldman was quick to add “Healthy choices are not only for the child with the diagnosis. The advice holds true for the whole family,” she said.

Sherry Wolf, Executive Director of the Community Center of Northern Westchester explained how these workshops dovetail with the Center’s day-to-day activity. “Food insecurity, buying healthy foods on a budget, making healthy choices, reaching out for support— these are issues the Center regularly confronts in working with our clients at the food pantry,” she said.

“Parents looking to stretch every dollar may not be aware of how to make the most nutritious food choices within that budget,” Wolf continued. “For example, our pantry is regularly stocked with whole wheat breakfast cereal distributed by Foodbank for Westchester. Our clients rarely select it, so Dr. Feldman used that cereal in her presentation, encouraging attendees to try it and explaining the value in whole grain choices.”

Sunday’s workshop was a family affair. While parents learned from Dr. Feldman, children got the message about healthy eating through hands-on activities developed by Paula Wallace, with assistance from an enthusiastic group of teen-aged volunteers from the Somers High School Leo’s Club and two volunteers from Bedford’s Fox Lane High School.

Workshop attendees also received the Food for Thought educational outreach kit consisting of practical advice for families, a storybook, healthy recipes and an original video featuring the debut of four new Sesame Street Muppets, the “Superfoods.” The video also includes Elmo and friends, along with real families as they try new foods, learn about the importance of healthy snacks, and discover that sharing a meal together is a perfect opportunity to connect as a family. Sunday’s workshop used two of the video segments, including one addressing the social and emotional issues related to food insecurity.

Shirley Buontempo, a Community Center board member, is spearheading the effort, organizing workshops for the Center’s clients. “Food insecurity affects nearly one in four children in America,” she said. “Developing healthier eating habits among families and children can significantly improve overall health as well as children's performance in school, and in the long term, help address diseases like obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes," she added.

Sesame Workshop’s Food for Thought initiative was developed with the understanding that food insecurity can have long-term impact on young children, including subsequent effects on health, school performance, growth, and development. “Sesame Workshop’s sole mission is to help children reach their highest potential, said Gary E. Knell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sesame Workshop. “As part of our overall Healthy Habits for Life initiative, Food for Thought teaches the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritional food despite a low or reduced income, helping children succeed in school…and in life,” he said.

The Food For Thought resource kit is designed to:

• Assist children and families in achieving a balanced and healthy diet by educating them about nutritionally sound foods that are easier to access and that are good for child development,
• Support families facing economic challenges to model and encourage children to eat healthy foods and be physically active,
• Provide resources that allow both children and adults to make healthy food choices based on simple and familiar messages, including sometime and anytime foods and eating a rainbow of colors; an
• Inform families about locally available resources and programs for them and their children to access nutritionally sound foods.

Nationwide, Sesame Workshop’s 400,000 kits will be distributed through local groups, such as the Community Center of Northern Westchester, as well as agencies including National WIC association, Feeding America, Head Start, Meals on Wheels and other key organizations. All materials used with Food for Thought are available at www.sesamestreet.org/food. Support for Food for Thought is provided by UnitedHealthcare and the Merck Foundation.

Established in 1992, the not-for-profit Community Center of Northern Westchester provides supplemental food, clothing, and other resources to those in need in Northern Westchester County. The Center is sponsored by 28 churches, synagogues, schools and civic groups and operates with substantial volunteer support from the northern Westchester community.