Charles Koh
Volunteer Park Cafe + Lunch Break for Schools = Fundraiser March 2
SEATTLE, WA – Instead of Sloppy Joes, fries and canned pears, imagine kids eating a school lunch of barbeque pulled chicken and black bean quesadilla, colorful bell peppers served with low-fat ranch dip, and fresh cantaloupe slices.
That sort of transformation is the goal of the Chefs Move to Schools program – and the Lunch Break for Schools fundraiser, sponsored by the makers of Hidden Valley® Salad Dressings, is aiming to make that dream a reality.
That sort of transformation is the goal of the Chefs Move to Schools program – and the Lunch Break for Schools fundraiser, sponsored by the makers of Hidden Valley® Salad Dressings, is aiming to make that dream a reality.
Ericka Burke from Volunteer Park Cafe will be hosting a Lunch Break for Schools fundraiser during lunch on Friday, March 2 to raise money to support the American Culinary Federation’s efforts toward the Chefs Move to Schools program’s goal of encouraging healthier eating by kids – including eating more vegetables. Whether dining in or taking lunch to go, the public is invited to visit Volunteer Park Cafe during lunchtime on March 2 to purchase chef Burke’s specialty lunch item to do their part to support nutrition education.
VPC’s brown bag lunch will be available for pre-order beginning March 29 and can be picked up at the cafe before school on March 2. A number of brown bag lunches to grab-and-go or enjoy at the cafe will also be available at the cafe on March 2. In keeping with the core values of the cafe, all ingredients used in creating the lunch will be organic, natural and hormone free. VPC’s lunch includes: Ham & Swiss on Whole Grain Bread, Potato Salad, Yogurt Parfait with Fresh Fruit, Rainbow Carrots with Ranch Dip, and Milk. Cost is $12 per lunch. To pre-order, please call 206.328.3155.
“It is very important that kids eat healthy food and I’m happy to be a part of this effort to get the word out,” said Burke. “We are all about eating well at the cafe. Our brown bag lunch will appeal to kids of all ages!”
The Lunch Break for Schools national fundraiser is organized by the makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings and the ACF to support the ACF’s Chef & Child Foundation (CCF) and its chefs’ efforts toward the Chefs Move to Schools program. With support from celebrity chef Cat Cora as the national spokesperson, chefs across the country will create and sell delicious, healthy lunches one day during the week ofFeb. 27 – March 2, 2012. All net proceeds from lunch items sold will be donated to CCF and funds will be used to create nutrition-based educational resources for chefs involved in the Chefs Move to Schools program.
The chefs’ lunches will follow the framework of a recommended one-week school lunch menu released by First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House to show the changes that could be made after the passing of the Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act 2010. The menu includes vegetables and low-fat ranch dressing on four of five days.
Champions for Nutrition Education
The makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings donated $150,000 to ACF’s Chef & Child Foundation to underwrite the fundraiser and help create curriculum, tools and other resources needed to help chefs working in schools.
The commitment is part of the brand’s Love Your Veggies™ nutrition education campaign. Since launching the campaign in 2006, the makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings have donated more than $1 million to nutrition education programs.
For more information on the Lunch Break for Schools program, including details about the chefs involved and recipes featured in the lunches, visit www.acfchefs.org/
About Hidden Valley®
The HV Food Products Company is a subsidiary of The Clorox Company, headquartered in Oakland, Calif. The Clorox Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer products with 8,100 employees and fiscal year 2011 revenues of $5.2 billion. Clorox markets some of consumers’ most trusted and recognized brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products, Green Works®naturally derived home care products, Pine-Sol® cleaners, Poett® home care products, Fresh Step® cat litter, Kingsford® charcoal, Hidden Valley® and K C Masterpiece® dressings and sauces, Brita® water-filtration products, Glad® bags, wraps and containers, and Burt’s Bees® natural personal care products. Nearly 90 percent of Clorox Company brands hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories. The company’s products are manufactured in more than two dozen countries and marketed in more than 100 countries. Clorox is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where its employees work and live. Founded in 1980, The Clorox Company Foundation has awarded cash grants totaling more than $84 million to nonprofit organizations, schools and colleges. In fiscal year 2011 alone, the foundation awarded $4 million in cash grants, and Clorox made product donations valued at $13 million. For more information about Clorox, visit www.TheCloroxCompany.com.
The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With more than 20,000 members spanning 225 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, with the Certified Executive Chef® designation the only culinary credential accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.
ACF’s Chef & Child Foundation (CCF) was founded in 1989 to educate children and families in understanding proper nutrition through community-based initiatives led by ACF members, and to be the voice of the culinary industry in its fight against childhood hunger, malnutrition and obesity. CCF offers chefs numerous resources and programs, including “Chefs in the Classroom” for preschoolers through fifth-graders; “Cooking for Kids,” for third- through eighth-graders; and “Hit a Homerun for Nutrition.” Each year, on October 16, CCF and ACF chapters nationwide celebrate Childhood Nutrition Day. Chef’s Outreach to the Community Service Day, which is held annually in conjunction with the ACF national convention, is another anticipated community outreach event. CCF also offers many free resources to the public, such as monthly “Culinary Nutrition News” and “Ingredient of the Month” articles. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org/CCF.
About Volunteer Park Cafe
Located among the elegant homes of Seattle’s North Capitol Hill, Volunteer Park Cafe (VPC) is the quintessential neighborhood-meeting place. With mismatched vintage chairs, throw pillows tossed along banquets, and a communal table running the length of the inviting sunlit room – it’s the perfect place to spend time. The food is delicious home-style goodness, house made pastries, savory and sweet, and a selection of fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches provide daytime provisions ordered from friendly faces behind the counter. As the light dims and the candles are lit, table service begins and guests cozy in for rustic pizzas and ever-changing seasonal offerings like Braised Beef Brisket with Creamy Polenta and Greens, Pan Seared Halibut, or the heavenly Pot Pie. VPC offers a generous selection of boutique wines by the glass and bottles of wine can be enjoyed at the cafe or taken to go. VPC is open Tuesday – Friday from 7am – 4:30pm, weekends from 8am – 4:30pm, and dinner is served Tuesday – Saturday from 5:30pm – 9pm. For more information, call 206.328.3155 or visit www.alwaysfreshgoodness.com.
Volunteer Park Cafe is located at 1501 17th Avenue East (at Galer) in Seattle, Washington.
