Bauman College is pleased to announce the launch of our new Community Outreach Department.   The Outreach Department provides graduate and student volunteer opportunities, ongoing free nutrition lectures, community cooking classes, Farmer's Market demonstrations, turn-key Community Education Programs, and sponsorship for select events. We aim to increase Bauman College's impact in our local and national communities, to build relationships with other notable non-profits and causes, and to develop volunteer and graduate employment occasions in the community.

Past and current outreach partners include Whole Foods Market, the Growe Foundation, Live Oaks School District, The Slow Food Movement, The North Face Company, Pacific Coast Farmer's Market Association, Sonoma County Health Action, Petaluma Bounty, the Community Action Network and Nutrition Coalition (CANC), and many more.

The Outreach Department endeavors to support and contribute to Bauman College's non-profit mission to create a sustainable culture of wellness in individuals and in the community.

Here are some of our current undertakings:

Kidz for Health
Transitional Nutrition

Kidz for Health is a 6-week after school nutrition-cooking-fitness program for elementary school children that focuses on nutrition education, healthy food preparation, culinary skills, and fitness. -Developed by Nancy Birang, Bauman College Santa Cruz Faculty, and sponsored by Bauman College and Live Earth Farm, Watsonville, CA.

KFH Mission Statement Kidz for Health aims to educate and empower grade school children about Eating for Health™, making healthy food choices, and engaging in daily physical activity. Our goal is to help children understand the connection between eating healthy, being physically active, feeling good, and preventing diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Kidz for Health aspires to instill a sense of self-confidence and positive self esteem as a means to make positive life decisions.

Children in the Santa Cruz school districts are learning that Eating for Health is tasty and fun! Bauman College and Kidz For Health have been offering after school programs at Gault and Live Oak Elementary schools since 2007.

Each week, a different theme is presented:

Week One: The Fantastic Five Food Groups
Week Two: Eating a Rainbow
Week Three: Healthy Snacks vs. Nutrition Vampires
Week Four: Benefits of Breakfast
Week Five: Healthy Desserts
Week Six: A Seasonal Celebration: a review and celebration of what foods are in season.

Each class has six major components:

• Healthy Snacks - healthy pre-made snack and water are shared, to nourish and hydrate, emphasizing mindful eating
• Nutrition Education Activity - these activities are designed to teach basic Eating for Health concepts
• Food Preparation - children follow recipes and learn valuable culinary skills which will help them to be better able to feed themselves as they grow
• Fitness Activity - activities promote body awareness
• Food Sharing - as everyone sits down together to enjoy the prepared food, several students and adults share what they are grateful for
• Take-Home Activity - children keep a simple food /activity journal that they share each week

All recipes have been kid tested and kid approved! While recipes vary according to the season and availability of food items, sample recipes include: Mini Pizza Pies, Rainbow Wraps, Fruit Kabobs, Power Balls, Baked Pita Bread Triangles, Sizzling Salsas, Sweet Potato French Fries, Homemade Granola, Smart Smoothies, Secret Ingredient Chocolate Pudding, Carrot or Pumpkin Muffins, Sweet Tamales, Black Bean Fiesta Salad.

Response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive. Some recent student comments:

Please consider donating to support our Community Outreach activities. All donations will directly support public benefit programs like those described above.

Bauman College is a 501 (c) (3) non profit. All donations are tax deductible.

We accept donations using Paypal payment system. Paypal can process all major credits as well as e-checks and more.